Lioness Tales - Tale 2: Chiku's Training
by Niche Eenhoorn
Summary: The lioness Chiku was destined to be a fierce fighter, even before she was born. Her mother Johari had decided to train her in combat, so that they could embark together in a very dangerous mission: to find the two rogue lions who murdered a pride-mate, and to put a stop to their heinous acts. Will they succeed? Read on, and find out!
1. Unwelcome Guests

**Lioness Tales**

**_By Niche Eenhoorn_  
**

**__****Tale 2: Chiku's Training**  


**Disclaimer:**

- This story is loosely based in the world of the Lion King, so any possible references to The Lion King movie and its characters and situations are property of Walt Disney. I am making absolutely no profit out of this story.  
Any other character you don't recognize from the film belongs to me. If you want to use one of my characters for writing, fanart, etc., just drop me a note!

- The lions in this story pay little or no attention to blood relationship. This means that just like in a real Pride, the couples in this story could be somehow related to each other, but they don't give much importance to that. This particular situation, while not acceptable for humans, is pretty normal in the lions' world, but it will not be emphasized or glorified in any way so as to make things look perverted.

- The story contains non-explicit scenes of lions and lionesses mating. While the scenes are not extremely descriptive, they might be more suitable for adult/mature audiences.

- Rated M, for mild cursing, some violence during the fighting scenes, and references to physical abuse, although the descriptions of this are not over the top, and are mostly left to the reader's imagination.

- I am not a native English speaker, so if you find any recurrent grammar issues, please feel free to point them out!

I hope this covers everything up, now on to the story! Reviews and constructive criticism are more than welcome. Thanks in advance, and enjoy!

* * *

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 1: Unwelcome Guests**

As the sun rose in the horizon, bringing light and warmth upon the African Savannah, the nocturnal animals retreated to their shelters, while the rest of the inhabitants awakened, welcoming gratefully another day in life and good health.

Seven lionesses, all belonging to the Eyasi Pride, were already wide awake. They were busy planning the hunting schedule for the day, while Salehe, their male leader, listened to them absently as he got ready to patrol his lands.

"Whose turn was it to stay in cub-duty this time?" one lioness asked as she stretched herself to loosen up her muscles.

"It's Johari's turn, and Gasira had offered to help her," another one replied.

Johari, a young lioness with an ochre-colored pelt, rolled her eyes and turned to her older sister, Ishara, giving her a discouraged look. "You know... I'd give anything to get away from cub-duty today. I have a headache and I don't think I'll be able to stand the noisy, little brats..." she muttered, eying the five playful cubs that were already yelling and chasing each other.

Ishara tilted her head for a moment and smiled. "Well, I'll tell you what... I'll trade places with you."

Johari grinned back at her. "Oh, really? What's the catch?"

"I had promised Tisha a thorough grooming session today," Ishara replied, "You can take my place instead."

Johari looked disgusted for a moment. "Eugh... Tisha? But... She's still flea-infested..."

Ishara nodded, sporting a sly smile. "Yup, and she's got ticks too, just so you know. It's your pick! You can either stay with the noisy cubs, or help Tisha relieve her itching while you snack on some fleas..."

Johari thought about her options for a moment, but the cubs' yelling was already getting on her nerves. "Okay, okay. I'll take care of Tisha when we're back from the hunt."

"It's a deal then! You have fun at the hunt, and make sure to get something tasty."

Johari gave her sister a quick head-butt and walked away, heading towards Kamaria, the leader's mate. She would be leading the hunting party this morning, so Johari informed her about her little arrangement with Ishara.

Kamaria accepted it without hesitation. She knew Johari was a skilled huntress, while Ishara was more insecure and tended to make mistakes.

The hunting party left shortly after. Johari smiled gratefully over her shoulder as she walked away, looking at her sister, who was roaring at them, wishing them good luck.

Ishara watched them go for a short moment, and Salehe walked up to her, also staring at his lionesses in the distance.

"Say, weren't you supposed to be watching the little ones?" he asked in friendly manner, while three of the cubs were busy nipping at his tail.

Ishara turned to him and chuckled. "Yes, yes, I'm on it." She walked around him and addressed the cubs kindly, "Okay, everyone, settle down, and let Salehe go do his rounds. You can chase after my tail or Gasira's."

The cubs immediately went after Gasira, who began running away from them playfully, while screaming, "No, not my tail, please, anything but the tail!"

Salehe chuckled slightly, looking at the cubs bouncing away after the lioness, in hot pursuit. "I'll try to be back as soon as possible. Please keep your guard up."

"Will do, Salehe. Have a good patrol," she replied as they nuzzled each other quickly.

Salehe turned around and left, welcoming the silence as the playful screaming from the cubs faded away.

* * *

Ishara and Gasira had managed to make the cubs tired after a series of games, and the five of them finally sat down to rest, gathered around the adult lionesses in a semi-circle. Ishara knew it was time for a story, and hopefully, a nap would follow.

"So what kind of story would you like for today?" she asked them.

"Please, not the mushy stuff we had to hear last time!" Hadithi replied, groaning slightly. He was Ishara's son, and the oldest cub in the group. The other cubs would often look up to him and would try to copy anything he did.

"I agree with Hadithi," a younger male cub named Faraji quickly added, "We want a story with some action this time!"

Faraji's opinion also carried a lot of weight with the cubs, since he was Salehe and Kamaria's son, and as such, he would eventually become the leader of their Pride in the future.

Ishara smiled to herself, and looked at Gasira. "You're better at those, would you like to tackle this one?"

"But what if _we _want another love story?" Bahiya piped up, a sweet-tempered female cub who was not in the mood to hear about fighting and death.

"You had your love story last time, it's our turn to pick now," Hadithi insisted.

"Let's vote!" Faraji suggested.

Bahiya grunted. "Well, so far it's two against two, 'cause I know Damisi also wants a love story, right Damisi?"

The youngest female cub looked up at the mention of her name. She didn't care either way, she would probably fall asleep in mid-story anyway, but Bahiya's insistent look was enough to make her nod in agreement.

The four cubs turned to look at the fifth cub, Adla, who was staring ahead in the distance, and who almost appeared not to have been listening to the argument at all.

"Adla? What's your vote?" Faraji asked.

Adla kept staring into the horizon as she simply replied, "Why don't you just make two groups? Bahiya and Damisi can go listen to Ishara's story, and you guys can go listen to Gasira's."

The cubs looked at each other, wondering how come they didn't contemplate this simple solution first.

Ishara smiled at Adla warmly, feeling that there was something special about that cub. She was very quick in solving disputes between her friends, and had a way of solving problems that would certainly come in handy for her future role in the Pride. Adla was the first female to be born after Faraji, and as tradition dictated, she was betrothed to him at birth. She would also become their leader at some point, and so far, little Adla had shown very good qualities.

"That sounds like a great idea, Adla. How about you? Which group will you join?" Gasira asked.

Adla finally turned to look at them and decided to join Bahiya and Damisi for a love story, while the two male cubs muttered something on the lines of girls only liking corny stuff.

The older lionesses took their respective groups to a different spot, and began telling their stories, but Ishara could notice that Adla appeared to be distracted and kept glancing in the same direction she had been staring at earlier.

"Is there something bothering you, sweetie?" Ishara asked, intrigued by Adla's unusual lack of attention.

Adla shook her head and turned to her. "I'm sorry... I just thought I had seen something earlier... There was some movement by the lair but I couldn't tell what was sneaking around."

Ishara stood up for a moment and glanced back at the rock formation that served as their refuge. She stared for a while, but everything appeared to be in order.

"I don't see anything, but let me walk around and see if I pick up any scents," Ishara replied, while the three female cubs looked at her intently as she sniffed the air.

Not detecting any strange smells, Ishara returned to the cubs and sat in front of them, only this time facing the lair so that she could keep an eye on it from afar.

She continued her story where she had left off, but all of a sudden she froze in mid-sentence, and her expression became alarmed and worried. She stood up quickly and the fur on her back began to bristle.

"Come with me, and keep quiet, " she told the cubs firmly.

"What? Did you see something too? What is it?" Adla asked, craning her neck to try and get a better view of the lair, but Ishara picked her up swiftly by the neck and headed in Gasira's direction.

Gasira and the two male cubs looked up when they noticed Ishara approaching, looking very upset. "Huh? Is something wrong?"

Ishara placed Adla on the ground and whispered, "I'm pretty sure it's those two creeps we heard about, Ubaya and Kame. They're in our territory! Looks like they've searched the lair already, and they're heading this way now. We need to put the emergency plan into action. Take the cubs, you know what to do..."

Gasira felt the blood draining from her head at the mention of those two names. The two infamous lion rogues were extremely ruthless. Their favorite pastime seemed to be attacking Prides without the intention of actually taking them over. They just considered it fun to strike fear in the hearts of those who crossed their path, and it seemed that today it would be the Eyasi Pride's turn.

Gasira stood up quickly after a brief moment of shock, and addressed the cubs. "Listen up, remember our safety rehearsals at the tunnels?"

The cubs nodded, becoming very nervous after seeing the older lionesses so agitated all of a sudden.

"Well, this is not a rehearsal, this is the real thing. So I want you to keep extremely quiet, and follow me there. Let's go, now. Hurry!"

Gasira darted off and the cubs followed, while Ishara stayed behind and placed scent marks all over the place, trying to mask the cubs' smell.

The wind finally carried with it the scent of the two strangers, and Ishara couldn't help but bare her teeth and growl. Shortly after, two huge, strong and well-fed lions strutted into view, walking calmly and fearlessly, as if they owned these lands. They appeared to be the same age; both their manes were thick and full. These were no youngsters, and Ishara knew that she would not stand a chance if they both were to gang up on her.

Still, Ishara stood her ground, hoping that if she showed no fear, they would simply walk by and would leave her alone.

The two rogues spotted the lioness, looking at them intently.

"Hey, looks like someone stayed behind after all. What do you reckon, a cub-sitter?" Kame said, and motioned with his head towards Ishara.

Ubaya turned to look at her, his thick, amber mane shifting slightly with the breeze. He chuckled for a moment as he stared back at the lioness defiantly. "That, or a lioness in heat. I say, let's go find out..."

Ishara swallowed with difficulty when she saw the two lions heading her way. She took deep breaths, trying to stay calm and avoid a confrontation.

"Good morning. Lovely day today, isn't it?" Ubaya told her a bit too cheerfully, his chipper tone not matching the mean look he was actually giving her.

Ishara only nodded quietly in reply. She stayed put while Kame paced around her, sizing her up.

Ubaya then proceeded to scent the air around them, only to find that the lioness was not in a receptive mood. But despite the marks she had placed a few minutes ago, Ubaya did pick up the fresh scent of other lions that had just been in the area. He shook his head and chuckled to himself.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves-"

"There's no need for that," Ishara interrupted, trying to sound confident, "I already know who you are."

News of the duo's wrongdoings had spread quickly amongst the neighboring Prides, and everyone had warned each other to remain on the lookout for a lion missing half of his tail, and another one with a very pale pelt. The description matched these two rogues perfectly; Ubaya kept waving his short, tuft-less tail side to side, and Kame had the lightest coloration of fur that Ishara had ever seen.

"Well, listen to that, seems like our reputation precedes us..." Kame replied, his pale-blue eyes wide open in feigned surprise.

"Mmhmm..." Ubaya said as he nodded in agreement, and faced Ishara once more. "So tell me, what's a lovely lioness like you doing here, all alone?"

"I wasn't feeling too well, so I was excused from the hunt."

"Oh, dear. I hope it's nothing contagious. You wouldn't want to spread whatever illness you got on to the little cubs that roam this area," Kame said nonchalantly as he sniffed around.

Ishara realized then that her marks had not been enough to conceal the cubs' scent, and she couldn't help her heart from skipping a beat.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied, trying to keep her fear at bay, "I'm here all by myself, you can search the area if you want," she added, hoping to buy herself more time, praying for Salehe to return as quickly as possible.

"Ah, I don't know," Ubaya said, yawning noisily, "I don't feel in the mood for playing Hide and Seek today. Nah... I have a better idea. Why don't you be a doll and bring us something to eat?"

Ishara watched as the two lions sat down next to each other, looking at her expectantly.

"I- I'll see what I can do..." she replied, hoping to be able to leave the area and go look for Salehe.

She turned around with the intention to leave but stopped on her tracks when she heard Ubaya's raspy voice say, "Don't get any crazy ideas. If you're not back here in five minutes, we'll go find those cubs and feast on them instead."

Ishara cursed to herself, and instead of looking for Salehe, she ran back to the lair, where she knew there were a couple of left over bones from the previous kill, with some meat still on them. It was not fresh, but it would have to do for now.

"Ahh, there you are. You were almost late," Ubaya taunted when she returned to them, panting and out of breath.

The lioness dropped the bones by their paws and retreated a few paces.

Both lions began gnawing on the bones, while Ishara kept scanning the horizon discretely, hoping to see her Pride-mates or Salehe, but they were still far away. She was on her own.

When Kame was done eating, he stood up and shook himself. "Shall we get going then?" he told Ubaya.

"Yes, let's get a move on," he replied, glancing at Ishara, who could not hide an expression of relief.

"Unless you want us to stay a bit longer, of course," Ubaya told Ishara, getting closer.

Ishara shook her head. "Don't let me detain you, please."

Kame let a soft chuckle loose. "She seems a bit too eager for us to leave, don't you think?"

"Mmhmm. What's the matter, don't you enjoy our pleasant company?" Ubaya said. He then nipped at her shoulder without a warning.

Ishara took a step back, feeling more and more uneasy by the second. "I'm still not feeling very well, and I'd just like to rest now. Please, I've shared our food with you, you can clearly see I really don't want any trouble."

Ubaya gave her a wide smile as he sniffed her face and neck intently. "No one ever wants any trouble, but that's not up to you to decide, beautiful."

Ishara looked away, as her legs began shaking slightly.

"We know you're terrified. We can smell it. And if there's something we both really, really love, is the smell of fear," he added, as he licked her cheek once.

Ishara sighed deeply, reading his advances clearly, and whispered to him, "What else do you want from me? Do you want to mate? Will you leave me alone if we do?"

Ubaya let out a loud laugh. "Now this is my kind of gal! Straight and to the point, I like that. But no, we're not in the mood for that. Not _yet_, at least. I was more thinking on the lines of sparing your life, but only if you show us where you've hidden those cubs. What do you think? It's a fair deal, isn't it?"

Ishara bit her lip for a moment. She knew the Pride would never forgive her if she were to disclose their location. As a cub-sitter, it was her task to protect the little ones, even if it cost her her own life. The lioness simply shook her head in reply, knowing she was signing her own death sentence.

"Hmmpfh," Kame grunted, "Well if you're not willing to cooperate, we'll just have to force their location out of you. You're not giving us much of a choice, I'm afraid."

With unexpected speed, Kame stood up on his hind paws and landed heavily with his forepaws on Ishara's back, forcing her to lie down on the ground under his own weight.

Ishara could not contain her fear any longer and began roaring and thrashing, but Kame bit her hard on the back of her neck, immobilizing her slightly.

"They all try to keep their cool but sooner or later they all break, don't they..." Ubaya said, pacing in front of her, "Will you tell us now where the cubs are hidden?"

"I don't know! I'm not the sitter! I don't know where she took them!" Ishara screamed in fear, as tears started rolling down her face.

Ubaya looked very angry now, and bared his teeth in front of Ishara's face. "This is your last chance. Tell me now, or you'll regret it."

Ishara looked at him for a moment, and stopped struggling. She was completely sure that even if she were to disclose the cubs' location at this point, she would still end up dead at the rogues' paws. She let out a deep breath, and gave up her life. "Do with me as you want, but you're not harming the cubs."

"Then so be it..." Ubaya growled.

Ishara saw him nodding at Kame, and the lioness closed her eyes tight, bracing herself and praying that the end would come soon.

* * *

Gasira and the cubs had taken shelter between a thicket of bushes. Once she made sure they were not being followed, she crossed the thicket and sniffed around until she found a well-hidden boulder. Gasira pushed the boulder aside, to reveal the entrance to a narrow tunnel, so small that only the cubs could fit in.

"Hadithi, I don't think you'll fit in there anymore," Gasira said, eying him critically, "so you'll stay with me. The rest of you, quickly, get in, and we'll pick you up at the other side when it's safe to come out. It's just like we rehearsed, okay?"

The cubs nodded, and one by one they sneaked inside the dark tunnel. They had been in there many times before, and knew their way around the tunnels. Even when the boulder was placed back, and they were left in total darkness, the cubs still knew where to go to get out.

"So what or who were we running from anyway?" Bahiya asked as they slowly walked to the exit.

"No idea," Faraji replied, "But I've never seen the grown-ups so scared..."

Adla let out a deep sigh. "I think I know. Remember all those horrible tales we heard from that cheetah cub by the lake?"

Faraji frowned for a moment, as he tried to recall what the little cheetah had said. "Was that something about some lions getting killed or so?"

Adla nodded. "Yeah... Remember he said that two lions barged into someone's territory, killed a few lionesses and ate all the cubs? I think that's who Ishara and I saw earlier."

Bahiya gasped. "Oh, crap, if those are the lions we're running from, then Ishara must be in real danger! No wonder she and Gasira looked so afraid..."

The four cubs continued walking in complete silence, hoping that Ishara would be okay.

"Damisi?" Adla called after a short while, to make sure the little lioness was still keeping up.

"Ya?" Damisi replied, her voice sounding rather distant.

Adla knew then that she was lagging behind, so she retraced her steps, and once they stumbled into each other, Adla tried to pick her up with her mouth, just like the adults did. Damisi was still very young, she would tire up easily and was only learning to speak. Adla couldn't help feeling protective of her, especially now that they were in real danger. After a few failed attempts, Adla then managed to pick little Damisi up from the scruff of her neck, and they eventually caught up with Faraji and Bahiya. The four cubs reached the tunnel's exit, and waited in silence until one of the adults would come to pick them up.


	2. A Life Changing Goal

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 2: A Life-Changing Goal**

The hunting party was making their way back to the lair. They had managed to bring down a small gazelle and a zebra, so they felt in good spirits, knowing that they would all be well fed for the next couple of days.

The lionesses were talking animatedly amongst themselves, discussing their attack tactics, and what could be improved for the next hunting session. They took turns to drag the heavy catch along, and Johari, who was now pulling the gazelle on her own, was trying her best not to lag behind. She managed to catch up unexpectedly, when Kamaria stopped on her tracks all of a sudden. The lioness had noticed Salehe running towards them as fast as his paws could carry him.

"Huh? That's weird," Kamaria said out loud, making the rest of the lionesses turn in the direction she was looking at. "Why isn't he waiting for us like usual?"

"You don't suppose something happened, do you?" Tisha wondered, taking a short moment to scratch herself behind her ear, while Salehe closed the gap between them.

Kamaria shrugged back at her, looking puzzled.

The lion finally reached the hunting party, looking visibly shocked.

"What are you doing here? Is everything okay?" Kamaria asked, nuzzling him gently.

Salehe looked at his lionesses, not sure how to tell them the bad news. He finally gathered some courage and told them solemnly, "I'm afraid I've got very bad news. It's Ishara... Someone attacked her while we were away."

The lionesses gasped in shock, and they looked at each other in disbelief.

Johari's eyes opened wide as soon as she heard those words. She released the gazelle from her jaws and it landed on the ground, creating a small cloud of dust. It took her a few seconds for the information to actually sink in. Her own sister, hurt?

Kamaria gasped in shock. "Is it serious?"

Salehe swallowed with difficulty, and he managed to whisper, "She didn't make it. She's dead."

Johari sat down for a moment, as her head began to spin. It had been her idea to bring an extra gazelle along, because she knew Ishara liked them so much. She could not comprehend the fact that her sister was no longer there anymore, waiting for her, ready to compliment her on her hunting skills and devouring her favorite meal with a huge grin on her face.

The rest of the lionesses remained quiet, unsure what to say, feeling immense sadness for the death of a beloved Pride-mate. Ishara might not have been a great huntress, but she was always kind and helpful. The lionesses knew they could always count on her, and her loss came as a big shock to everyone.

Two young lionesses named Faiza and Etana, who had had their First Hunt only recently, approached Salehe, a bit hesitantly. They didn't want to interrupt the lionesses' mourning, but they were concerned for the well-being of their best friend.

"Do you know if Gasira and the cubs okay?" Etana finally whispered as quietly as she could, trying not to disturb.

Salehe nodded, and addressed all of them. "The cubs and Gasira are all right. They're all still by the tunnel, waiting for my confirmation that the intruders are gone. I asked her to stay there for the time being, until we know for sure it's safe to bring the cubs back."

The lion then took a deep breath and whispered to his mate, "Kamaria, will you please come with me?"

Kamaria nodded, drying her face with a paw quickly.

"Everyone else, please wait here. It's all terribly shocking, and I don't want you to see that," Salehe told the rest of the lionesses.

Curious as they were, they nodded quietly and didn't ask any further questions, except Johari, who finally managed to mumble through her choked-up throat, "Can I come with you?"

Salehe frowned sadly as he turned to her. "Johari... I think it's better if you stay. She-"

"She was my sister! You can't tell me I cannot see her one last time, please!" Johari interrupted Salehe, bursting into tears.

Salehe and Kamaria looked at each other, unsure that this was a good idea, but Salehe nodded in the end.

"Okay, as you wish, Johari. You can come with us. We'll come back for the rest of you later," he told the shaken lionesses.

The hunting party sat down to wait and to guard their catch, having lost all appetite after hearing such bad news.

Johari in the meantime followed Salehe and Kamaria, listening intently to their conversation, eager to find out exactly what happened.

"Gasira said Ishara raised the alarm first. She was sure it was those two rogues we've heard so much about. She told Gasira to take the cubs and hide them," Salehe explained, "From the looks of it, Ishara was right. I have to warn you both, it's a horrible sight, that's also why I asked Gasira to keep the cubs in the tunnel a bit longer... I don't want them to see this, especially Hadithi. I want him to remember his mother the way she looked like when she was alive, and not like this."

The three lions walked past their lair, tainted now by the scent marks that the intruders had left earlier that day. Salehe eventually stopped on his tracks as they approached the acacias, and turned to Johari. "I was hoping you'd change your mind, after my warning... Are you really sure you want to do this?"

Johari nodded, and to show him that she was strong enough, she continued walking resolutely on her own towards the trees where Ishara had been cub-sitting earlier. But her legs failed her, once she came into view of what was once her beloved sister. Johari flopped on the grass, her jaw hanging open, unable to move or to speak.

Kamaria joined her side, trying her best to be strong for Johari, but she was at a loss for words as well. Kamaria simply stood there, motionless and in shock.

Johari regained the strength in her legs after a short moment, and she stood up shakily. She approached the scene of the crime slowly, and sniffed around. The over-powering smell of blood filled her nostrils, as did the scent of the two intruders, clear as day. It was impossible for her to smell anything else at this point.

Salehe stood by Johari's side and gave her a quick nuzzle, to remind her that she was not alone.

The lioness looked at him, finding it extremely difficult to translate her raging thoughts into words.

"This looks like... This isn't- This is no normal hunt, this was not just a predator trying to feed... Salehe, just look at this, they- They _tortured _her!" Johari stammered between sobs, while Salehe nodded silently, anger now visibly reflected in his usually calm and kind face.

He knew Ishara must have suffered terrible pain and humiliation before the rogues released her from her agony. Her wounds screamed gruesome stories that he was trying hard to block from his mind. If only he had returned earlier from doing his rounds, he thought, with incredible pain in his heart. All he could do now was to try and comfort Johari as much as possible. He took a deep breath and walked closer to her, inviting the lioness to burrow her face in his thick, dark mane, while nuzzling her gently, whispering kind and reassuring words.

Kamaria, having regained her composure, joined them as well, keeping a short, respectful distance. She closed her eyes while waiting for the lioness to calm down, not wanting to focus on the horrible scene displayed before her.

Once Johari had stopped crying, Kamaria walked closer to the two of them and said, "I'm completely sure it was the two rogues we've heard of, Ubaya and Kame. I heard they did the exact same thing to a lioness from the Nyaga Pride, when she wouldn't disclose where she had hidden the cubs..."

Johari sighed deeply and tried to dry her face with a paw. She then walked to what was left of Ishara's once beautiful face, and gently placed a paw on it, closing the dead lioness' jaw, which was hanging open as if frozen in an eternal scream. Johari gave her a quick nuzzle and whispered softly, "This is not over, sis... I won't let it end like this..."

"What would you like to do, Johari? Should we bring her to her final place of rest?" Salehe asked.

Johari looked up, her face now stained with her sister's blood. "She always wondered where the river would take her, if she were to follow its course. I say we take her there... The water will also wash the blood away, as well as the scent of the ones who did this..."

Salehe agreed with her. Between the three of them, they took Ishara's remains to the river and placed them in the water.

Johari watched in silence as the river carried Ishara away gently, slowly at first, until her mangled body finally disappeared in the depths of the troubled waters beyond.

* * *

Night had already fallen by the time the leaders of the Eyasi Pride went to meet with the rest of the lionesses. Salehe had gone to pick up Gasira and the cubs, while Kamaria went in search for the hunting party. Johari stayed behind by the trees, making sure to erase all blood trails as much as possible, by digging around and covering them with soil. She also placed new scent marks, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not get rid of the stranger's smell and and that of her sister's blood. She even washed her face when she was by the river, but it was as if the smell was deeply rooted inside her nose.

Johari worked really hard, and by the time the Pride congregated by the lair once again, the lioness had succeeded in concealing the evidence of what had happened earlier that day. She eventually returned to the lair, covered in dust and looking rather tired.

Salehe was busy replacing the intruders' marks with his own, while the lionesses approached Johari to offer their condolences, which she accepted silently, keeping her grief to herself.

Salehe and Kamaria had already broken the news to the cubs in the meantime. This was their first encounter with death, and they were all pretty shaken, especially Hadithi. The cub had tried to remain strong, but when he became fully aware that he would never see his mother again, the cub finally broke down in tears. He tried to hide it at first, but Adla was quick to notice her friend's turmoil, and she tried her best to comfort him and lick his tears away.

Although no one felt very hungry, the lions decided to start eating dinner. They knew they could not afford to waste the food they had hunted; they needed the energy to keep on going. So they reluctantly gathered around their catch and ate as silently as they could.

Johari was the only one who refused to eat anything at all, no matter how much her Pride-mates insisted. She had sniffed the food shortly at some point, but her stomach did a turn at the smell of the gazelle's fresh blood, and the lioness turned away quickly, looking repulsed.

Johari walked away while shaking her head, trying hard not to throw up on the spot. She sat down further away, taking deep breaths, hoping that the fresh air would calm her nausea.

She realized there was a thought in her head that kept bothering her, something that kept springing to her mind every minute: _she_ should be the dead one. It had been _her _turn to stay behind in cub duty, not Ishara's. An immense feeling of guilt would flood her whenever she thought about having swapped places, and it made Johari extremely sad and angry with herself. She wanted nothing more than to turn back time, but since that option was impossible, she focused on her next strongest desire, to find those rogues and to do to them exactly what they had done to Ishara.

Johari knew that although she was strong and almost fully grown, right now she wouldn't stand a chance, not even against one single adult male. She was never taught how to fight properly, since that activity was mostly reserved for the male leader and his sons. The training that the females received was always oriented towards the hunt. They could defend themselves well while in a group, but a single lioness challenging a fully grown male was almost unheard of.

Johari stared distractedly at the Pride. The lionesses were already done eating and were grooming their faces quietly. She pondered her options for a short moment, and decided that she would ask Salehe to train her in combat. She stood up with the intention to go and talk to him about it, but a sudden movement caught her eye. It was Tisha, who was scratching herself madly by rolling on the grass, trying to relieve the endless itching on her back. Tisha was Kamaria's best and closest friend, but her incessant scratching drove Kamaria mad lately, so she preferred to keep her distance if she could.

Johari looked at Salehe, and then back at Tisha, hesitating for a moment. She reminded herself that she had made a promise to Ishara, and she would not back out on it now. Her conversation with Salehe would have to wait.

Unaware that Johari was approaching, Tisha continued to roll on the grass, groaning slightly, and sometimes letting out a sigh of pleasure once she had managed to scratch an offending spot. She had her eyes firmly shut, and became startled when she opened them again, only to see Johari standing over her.

Tisha gave her a little, embarrassed grin and apologized for her behaviour. "I know I look like a total idiot, but I just can't stand the itching sometimes..."

"Ishara had promised you a grooming session today, right?" Johari asked.

Tisha nodded as she sat up straight. "Yeah... She was always willing to help me. I'll really miss her..."

Johari sighed deeply. "I had agreed with her earlier today that I would groom you instead. So go ahead, lie down..."

Tisha perked up her ears, not able to conceal a smile of relief, but seeing that Johari's face was still moist and tear-stained, she shook her head instead. "Thank you... But I know you're most likely not in the mood for this right now... I understand."

Johari shook her head and insisted. "Don't worry about that. Just lie down, go on. It'll take my mind off things..."

Tisha hesitated for a short moment, but in the end she gave in and lay quietly on her belly, while Johari settled down close to her and began licking her shoulders and her back.

Tisha could not help but groan in relief, digging her claws into the ground as Johari's rough tongue helped calm her discomfort considerably.

"Your skin looks very irritated," Johari said between licks, noticing lots of balding, reddish patches with scabs, "It looks like you react to flea bites a lot worse than the rest of us... Where did you pick up all these bugs in the first place?"

Tisha looked thoughtful for a moment, as if recalling the day in question. She sighed and smiled to herself, and went on to say, "Dunno... I picked them up sometime around my season leading to Damisi..."

At the mention of Damisi's name, Johari stopped her grooming session for a short moment and looked at the cubs. Faraji and the girls were bundled by Kamaria's side, nursing, while Hadithi, old enough to eat meat only, lay down curled into a ball, his face hidden from view.

It all seemed so strange to her, knowing that the only reason these cubs were still alive, resting and eating like usual, was because of Ishara's sacrifice. The lioness resumed grooming Tisha, feeling a renewed desire to learn how to fight, so that she in turn can also defend her Pride-mates' lives. Only she wouldn't go quietly, she would fight to the death.

She got distracted from her thoughts when she saw little Adla was done nursing, and she was heading their way.

The cub sat nearby and stared at Tisha, who was clearly still enjoying Johari's helpful grooming.

"Do you need anything?" Johari asked her, stopping to rest for a moment.

Adla shook her head, looking up at her innocently. "I just came to see what's so special about your baths. She seems to really like them... Maybe you can give me a bath later?"

Tisha chuckled for a moment, blushing slightly. "I just itch a lot, and Johari's helping me with a really good scratch."

Adla examined Tisha's pelt, watching with curiosity the little horde of tiny insects walking in and out of view as they treaded between her fur.

"Do you like to eat monkeys, Tisha?" the cub asked out of the blue, looking thoughtful.

The lioness laughed slightly at the randomness of the question. "I've never eaten one, dear. Why do you ask?"

Adla shrugged. "Just because. Would you eat one?"

Tisha changed position slightly while Johari carried on grooming her left shoulder. "That depends, I suppose... I'd rather go for something more filling. Why? Did _you _eat one?"

"No!" she replied, laughing brightly, "But if you get to see a whole lotta monkeys, you won't hurt them or hunt them down?" Adla insisted.

Both Johari and Tisha looked at the cub, slightly confused at what might have sparked Adla's interest in primates.

Thinking that Adla might have made a new, unusual friend, Tisha reassuringly replied, "Nope. I promise you if I ever come across any monkeys, I'll let them be."

"Okay! That's good. See ya!" Adla replied, and walked away, back to Kamaria's side.

"What in the world was that all about? Had she already asked you about eating monkeys before?" Tisha wondered out loud.

"No... But knowing Adla, we'll find out soon enough. Hey... I'm getting a bit tired, I think today's events have caught up on me... Would you mind if I go lie down for a moment?" Johari asked, her head pounding much worse than it had done earlier that day.

"No, no, go ahead, you've helped a lot already. Thanks again, you really didn't have to..." Tisha said as she stood up and nuzzled Johari gratefully. The lioness then retreated to her resting spot after picking up Damisi, who had fallen asleep by Kamaria's side.

Johari looked around, only to see that Salehe was nowhere to be seen. He was probably patrolling the grounds once again, to make sure Ubaya and Kame were really gone.

The thorough grooming session from earlier had left her very thirsty, so she made her way to the lake. Once she had quenched her thirst, despite the deep sorrow she was experiencing, the lioness fell fast asleep within minutes of her head resting on the soft grass. She hoped to dream of her sister, but she slept so soundly that by the time she opened her eyes again, she was surprised to see that the sun had already risen, and with that a new day had begun.


	3. An Unusual Request

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 3: An Unusual Request**

Johari made her way back to the lair, still feeling tired and groggy. She wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, but there was no time to waste. She needed to speak to Salehe as soon as possible.

As she arrived, Kamaria quickly filled her in on a new security measure that Salehe had established. A third lioness would have to stay behind in cub duty, and her task would be to go and alert him in case any intruders were to trespass the borders. This meant one huntress less for the hunting party, exerting the huntresses more than before, but they all agreed that it was a good idea, and they were prepared to focus on catching smaller prey if needed.

Since they still had enough food left from the last hunting session, the lionesses were free to do as they wanted. They usually would split in groups or pairs, to go for a walk, or for a swim by the lake, but today they decided to stick together, still on edge about what had happened.

Johari looked at Salehe, who was about to leave to do his rounds. She excused herself, and walked to him resolutely.

"Good morning, Johari. Why didn't you come back to the lair last night? I was worried," he said when he saw her approaching.

Johari looked up, feeling slightly guilty when she saw genuine concern reflected on his face. "I went for a drink and just sort of fell asleep by the lake, I'm sorry..."

"Well, I'm glad to see you're back safe and sound," he replied, giving her a small smile, "Though I'd prefer that you and the rest don't wander away on your own, at least for the next couple of days, just in case."

The lioness nodded quietly.

"I'm going on patrol now so-"

"Could I go with you?" Johari interrupted him, sounding a bit too eager.

Salehe raised an eyebrow. "You want to spend your day off with me? While I go on patrol?" he asked, scenting her discretely, wondering if she might be coming into season, but he didn't detect anything unusual in her smell.

Johari nodded, looking serious. "I'd like to talk to you about something... I need to ask you a huge favor."

Salehe felt intrigued. He assumed it would be something related to her sister's untimely death. He accepted her company in the end, hoping he could help her in dealing with her sorrow.

"Fine, you can come with me."

Salehe went to kiss his mate before leaving, and warned her about Johari coming with him, so that the lionesses wouldn't get worried about her absence.

The Pride roared good-bye at each other. The lionesses and the cubs started walking towards the lake, while Salehe and Johari headed off in the opposite direction. They were quiet at first, but it was Salehe who broke the silence, feeling extremely curious about Johari's request.

"Here we are..." he said as he began marking the borders of his territory. He looked up in surprise when he saw Johari doing the same. She was actually helping him out with the task, like a male lion would do.

"Please don't do that. Your marks might attract rogues."

"I'm not in season," Johari replied bluntly, "My marks are as good as any."

"Well, I don't want to risk it, so I'll mark the borders myself. If you don't like it, you can just head back home," Salehe replied, a bit more firmly than usual, expecting more respect and discipline from her.

Johari could tell by the tone of his voice that she had crossed the line. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to help," she said, sounding slightly hurt.

Salehe looked at her from the corner of his eye while he sniffed the grass around him, and asked, "So, tell me, what did you want to discuss with me?"

Johari bit her lip for a moment, as she wondered how to phrase her request. "I... I wanted to ask you if you could teach me how to fight. That way, if those rogues ever come back, I could teach them a lesson."

Salehe stopped sniffing and stared at her, looking incredulous. "Do you really think you have what it takes to take on two full grown males?"

Johari shook her head. "Of course not! That's why I need your help... I want you to train me in combat. I need to know everything you know... Will you please help me?"

Salehe snorted and shook his head, pacing back and forth for a moment. "I'm sorry to say this, but your request is ridiculous. Learning to fight won't make you a stronger or bigger lioness, those rogues will still easily over-power you. I'm sorry, Johari, I know you're very upset about what happened to Ishara, and you'd like nothing more than to avenge her, but you will have to let this go."

Johari walked up to the lion and stood right in front of him, forcing him to stop pacing for a moment. "Please, Salehe... It's not just avenging Ishara... Those rogues know my sister was hiding something and I am afraid they might come back for more. So I am officially volunteering to stay behind in cub-duty and be the bait, in case these creeps ever come back. But I want to know how to defend myself. I want to at least stand a bit of chance, you know? I don't think my request is unreasonable at all, considering I am willing to sacrifice my life. I just want to be able to fight for it first."

Salehe looked at her intently for a moment. "It's a tough training, you'll end up all bruised and battered."

"I don't care, I really don't... I'll do what it takes..." Johari said with fierce determination, "It means a lot to me. If you don't help me, Salehe, I swear I'll go find somebody who will. I mean it!"

Salehe remained very quiet for a moment, contemplating the possibility. He wondered how good of a fighter she currently was, so he decided to put the lioness to the test. With a quick motion, he swiped his paw forcefully across Johari's forelegs, making her stumble to the ground. He then pinned her down with two paws, using his own body weight to keep her on the ground.

"What the hell are you doing?" Johari wheezed, finding it hard to breathe under his weight. She struggled to get up, while Salehe looked at her critically.

"Wow, you don't even know the basics..." he muttered to himself.

He released his grip on her and walked away a few steps, but Johari, feeling suddenly angry by what she considered to be just plain taunting, jumped at him with claws extended. Salehe quickly stepped aside, and grabbed her by the hips with his forepaws as she flew by, breaking her balance and making her fall hard on her side. He pinned her down again and pressed his paw to her throat.

Johari looked up at him, completely at his mercy, but Salehe simply smiled down at her, and released her once more. He then nuzzled her gently while helping her to get back on her feet.

The lioness sighed deeply, and admitted defeat. "You can see for yourself... My fighting skills are worthless. So... Will you please help me?"

Salehe appeared to be very thoughtful. It wouldn't hurt having one lioness in cub-duty who could at least put up one good fight, while the other one came to alert him in case anyone trespassed. It would increase that lioness' chances of survival if she knew what to expect and how to get out of tight situations...

He looked at Johari, her golden-brown eyes staring back at him pleadingly.

"You know, you may have a point. All right... I'll make time to teach you how to fight."

Johari perked her ears and smiled broadly. "Really? Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Salehe had to chuckle as the lioness nuzzled him boldly all of a sudden, clearly grateful.

He nuzzled her back shortly, and told her, "If that's all you wanted to discuss with me, I guess you can go back to the rest of the Pride now."

Johari nodded, but looked around for a moment. "I'd still like to do something in return for your help... Are you sure I cannot help with this whole marking business?"

Salehe shook his head. "Leave the border patrol to the males. Trust me, rather than saving time now, I prefer to spare myself the trouble of having to chase other lions away later."

Johari nodded understandingly. "Okay, I get it... Well, if you need anything, let me know, okay?"

Salehe grinned and turned around to leave. "Will do. I'll see you when I return."

Both lions parted ways, Johari feeling extremely eager for her lessons to start.

Salehe was slightly less enthusiastic, since he knew he'd have to cause her pain and discomfort, but Johari seemed strong enough. He felt that if there was a lioness who could stand the rough training, it could probably be her. He liked her drive, but he was still not sure about her motivations. _As long as she doesn't end up going to look for those rogues... _he thought, hoping he had made the right decision.

* * *

A couple of days had gone by, but Johari had still not received her first fighting lesson yet, because Salehe had been extra busy making sure the borders were secure. But that morning, he heard from a passing stork that Kame and Ubaya were nowhere near the area, so he felt it was safe to lower his guard slightly, and dedicate some of his time to Johari.

Kamaria had not been happy with this arrangement. She would have preferred another lioness to be the official cub-sitter, but no one else was too keen on staying behind to act as a distraction in case the rogues decided to return. Kamaria had no other choice but to accept Johari's terms for now.

The lionesses were gathered together under the shade of the trees. It was an extremely hot day, which made them decide to go hunting late in the evening instead, once the heat became more bearable. In the meantime, they were relaxing and enjoying the calm and quiet afternoon. Faiza and Etana were grooming each other, while Gasira took a nap together with the cubs Faraji and Hadithi. Kamaria was nursing little Damisi, and Tisha, as usual, was trying to find some relief from her flea-bites by rubbing herself against the trunk of the nearest acacia.

Johari was staring into the horizon distractedly, feeling slightly drowsy, but she perked her ears up and became more alert when she noticed Adla and Bahiya wandering off together. She kept an eye on them, wondering what those two were up to this time. The two cubs had become very good friends, and would often get in trouble together.

Johari kept on watching as the cubs stopped by a tree further down. They were both staring up at its branches intently, but Johari could not tell at this distance what they were looking at. Seeing that the cubs had turned around and were already making their way back to the lair, Johari lost interest and rested her head on her paws. She closed her eyes, and not long after, she felt Adla and Bahiya walk past her, heading towards where Tisha was scratching herself.

"Hi, Tisha," Adla greeted her, "You busy?"

Tisha looked at the two cubs, who had a mischievous look on their faces. "Um, no, not really, can I help you with something?"

"Yeah, can you come with us? There's this... thing we want to show you."

Bahiya couldn't help but giggle, but forced herself to remain quiet when Adla shushed her.

Tisha frowned slightly, while giving them a warm smile. "Okay, what are you two up to?"

"Just come with us," Adla insisted, "You'll see!"

Tisha's curiosity was piqued, and she agreed to follow the cubs. "All right, you lead the way."

Adla and Bahiya led Tisha towards the tree they were inspecting earlier.

Johari, having witnessed their exchange, was now looking intently at them again. She even got closer to find out what the two cubs were trying to pull off.

Tisha looked at the tree and felt a bit silly for a moment. "Okay, so what am I supposed to be looking for?"

Adla gave her a big grin and pointed her nose upwards.

Tisha looked up, and spotted a big group of vervet monkeys sitting on the branches of the tree, staring down at them with curiosity.

"Surprise!" the two cubs yelled in unison, startling Tisha slightly.

"Er... What's this all about? Who are these guys?"

"Duh, they're monkeys, of course!" Bahiya exclaimed, looking excited, "It was actually Adla's idea, isn't it great?"

Tisha looked at Adla, feeling confused. "Monkeys? Again? I'm sorry, I don't understand... What's with your sudden fascination with monkeys, and what does it have to do with me?"

"They're here to help with your itch," Adla replied, "Only they won't come down until you promise them you won't eat them. I already told them it's okay, but they wanna hear it from you too."

Tisha's eyes opened wide in surprise. She looked up once more, yelling out loud, "I've never eaten a monkey in my life and I promise I have no intentions of doing it now!"

There was a loud murmur coming from the tree, and one by one, the monkeys started descending.

"We'll keep guard," Adla told one of them, "So you guys go ahead, don't worry. Enjoy your meal!"

The monkeys urged Tisha to lie down, and they all gathered around her. Within seconds, they skillfully started picking out the parasites with their tiny hands, tending to the damaged skin too in the process, clearing out dead skin and scabs.

Tisha felt as if she was in heaven, while every itching point in her body was being gently scratched all at once.

"Did you arrange all this? Just for me?" The lioness asked as she opened her eyes and focused on Adla, who was sitting nearby, watching the vervets at work.

Adla gave her a smile and nodded. "I once saw two monkeys grooming themselves and I asked them why they didn't use their tongue, like we do, you know? Turns out their tongue is not rough, like ours, so they use their tiny little paws instead. I was surprised to see how quickly they could pick out fleas and such. They also said that they thought fleas were kinda yummy, so they were really glad to come and help when I told them about you, and how you had about a million fleas on you. They brought family and friends along for the feast, as you can see!"

Tisha chuckled and motioned Adla to come closer. The cub did, and Tisha gave her a warm, loving kiss on her cheek. "You'll make a great leader some day, you know that?"

Adla shrugged for a moment. "So they say..." she said, not sounding too enthusiastic about it, but Tisha didn't pick up on it.

The lioness also motioned for Bahiya to come closer, and told them, "How about I tell you both a story, while we're here?"

The little lionesses thought it was a great idea, and they lay down before Tisha, while the monkeys brought her so much relief that she forgot all about scratching for the first time in weeks.

Not far away, the whole Pride had been watching them intently for several minutes already. Johari had called the rest of the lionesses, so that they could also witness what Adla had done for her pride-mate.

"Don't know about you guys, but I'm feeling out-ranked already by that cub," Faiza whispered to Gasira and Etana, who chuckled in response.

"Yeah, she's really sweet and thoughtful, always looking to help others out. Kinda unusual for a cub her age..." Gasira replied.

The lionesses looked up startled when they were joined by Salehe, who had returned from doing his rounds. "I'm back everyone... What's going on?"

Kamaria proceeded to tell Salehe about Adla's idea, and he smiled proudly for a moment. "Ah, yes. Looks like Faraji is one lucky cub."

Faraji looked up when he heard his name and muttered, "I already said I ain't marrying her! I'm marrying no one!"

"We'll talk about this again when you're older, and we'll see if you've changed your mind then," Salehe said, rubbing the cub's head gently with his paw.

Kamaria walked to Salehe and nuzzled him. "Will you join me for a nap before we go hunting later on?"

Salehe looked at her but shook his head, glancing quickly towards Johari. "I'm sorry, there's something I need to do first."

Kamaria remained silent, her expression hard to read. She motioned with her head for Salehe to follow her, and they distanced themselves from the Pride for a moment.

"You're still going ahead with that dumb idea of hers?" Kamaria whispered, trying not to be overheard.

"It's not that dumb, when you think about it. Besides, it will keep her busy; more often than not I see her just lying there, doing nothing, looking down and depressed. I promise you, I'll try not to harm her in the process."

Kamaria sighed and looked away for a moment. "All right... As long as you still make some time for me..."

Salehe raised his eyebrows. "Of course I will. In fact, I'll nibble your neck and shoulders when you're back from the hunt. How does that sound?"

Kamaria couldn't help letting a grin spread on her face. "That sounds lovely."

Both lions returned to where the rest to the Pride was, and Kamaria suggested going back to the lair. The lionesses followed her, except Johari, who stopped on her tracks when she heard Salehe calling her name.

"Time for your first lesson," he said, and Johari gave him a thankful smile.

* * *

The smile had been long gone from Johari's face, as Salehe's teaching methods turned out to be quite strict. She didn't expect it from him, but Salehe kept drilling her constantly, and getting upset whenever she made a mistake. The fact that she was only a beginner didn't seem to matter, he was pushing her hard all the same.

"No, no! Try again, and this time, put some effort into it!" Salehe snarled at Johari, who was lying on the ground and panting heavily.

"Can we just take a small break?" she wheezed.

"Do you think the rogues will allow you a five minute breather? Huh?"

Johari shook her head, and stood up, her leg muscles feeling extremely sore.

Salehe gave her a quick nod. "That's better, okay, concentrate again. Ready?"

The lioness nodded, and waited for Salehe to initiate the attack. He was attempting the same move he tried on her a few days earlier, trying to knock her down by swiping her forelegs with his paw. This time, Johari reacted on time and jumped away before Salehe could hit her, and cheered loudly in excitement.

"I did it! I di-" but she was interrupted when Salehe pounced on her, pinning her down yet again.

"What was rule number one?" He told her, bending over and snarling right in front of her face.

Johari sighed and recited, "Never lower your guard..."

Salehe nodded and released the lioness. "I think you've had enough for today. That is, if you still want another lesson from me," he added, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

Johari stood up slowly and walked towards him. "Of course I do. I swear I'll get better with practice, you'll see..."

Salehe turned and stared at her for a moment. She looked rather miserable, panting like mad, covered in dust and dead grass, but there was also a shine in her eyes that Salehe had not seen since Ishara had passed away.

"Come," he said, sounding calm and gentle once again, "Let's take a detour to the lake. I think you could use a quick plunge to cool down a bit."

As they walked together towards the lake, Johari glanced at her forelegs, which now sported a few bruises and scratches. She looked at Salehe and whispered, "Thanks for not holding back just because I'm a female and I'm just starting out."

Salehe continued staring ahead as he walked, not daring to tell the young lioness that he had actually been holding back quite a lot. He decided to keep this secret to himself, and simply replied, "The enemy won't hold back either. It's better to start getting used to the pain now and learn how to ignore it so that it doesn't take your focus away."

Johari did her best to try and memorize everything he said, and kept repeating it to herself in her mind, even as she washed herself by the lake.

Salehe looked at her distractedly, while she tried to shake off the excess water from her pelt.

"There," she said, "Let's go home... I'll ask one of the girls to help me dry up when we get there."

The lion nodded, and they headed back home, just in time to wish the hunting party good luck.

Johari, Gasira and Etana would stay behind in cub duty this time, but Johari had to try her best not to fall asleep while on the job, feeling extremely tired after her lesson. Thinking of the disastrous consequences that could happen if she fell asleep, the lioness forced herself to stay awake.

When the hunting party returned, Johari was so exhausted that she decided to skip her meal, and went straight to sleep instead.


	4. Painful Romance

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 4: Painful Romance**

Johari continued her lessons almost daily. Salehe had established a meeting point where they could have their practice in peace, and they would get together almost every evening, unless Johari had to stay behind in cub duty.

Salehe was pleased to see that Johari was indeed making good progress. She was a quick learner, and once her condition improved, she didn't tire as easily as in the beginning. Another advantage that Salehe noticed on her was that she could move really fast. She was very agile on her feet, and more often than not she started surprising him with quick and effective moves.

He even started to enjoy the lessons, and he looked forward to them every day.

Several weeks after the first lesson, Salehe finally received his first real scratch from her, a large gash running down his right shoulder, caused by him reacting a bit too slowly to her attack.

The lioness saw him wince, and she dropped her combat stance immediately. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" she said, running to him and inspecting the wound closely. It was a large scratch, but not deep enough to cause him real discomfort in the long run.

Salehe laughed at her, and pushed her aside roughly, as a reminder to never lower her guard. "Don't be sorry, I've hurt you a hundred times more," he said, looking at all her scars, left behind from small wounds inflicted by him during training, "it's about time you start getting your revenge."

Johari stumbled for a moment, but she quickly regained her balance, and smirked at him. "I got you good this time, huh? You didn't see that one coming!"

"I must admit I didn't, I thought you'd go for my left side. It was a good move. You've done a very good job tonight."

Johari looked up at the sky, the moon and the stars were already visible, indicating it was about time to go home. "Shall we call it a day, then?"

Salehe nodded as he stretched himself. "Yeah, let's do so. I'm feeling in the mood for seconds from that zebra the hunting party brought down earlier..."

"I think I'll stop by the lake first, I could use a drink..." the lioness replied.

"Good idea, I'll come with you," Salehe replied, and they both headed towards the lake, chatting animatedly.

When they reached the water, Johari decided to take a quick plunge, to wash the dust off her pelt.

Salehe just waited for her, sitting by the edge. He didn't like water much himself, so he never joined her for a swim.

Johari swam around for a few minutes, glancing at Salehe every now and then. She could tell that his mood had improved a lot lately, probably as a result of her good learning. He was less prone to snarl and yell at her, although he'd still treat her roughly during the lessons. But once those were over, he would return to his usual self, always gentle and respectful.

Johari was continually grateful for his time, and for giving her a chance to prove herself. But the lioness had no idea that Salehe himself also enjoyed her company greatly, and he didn't mind at all having to skip his evening nap to go teach her. He tried to keep his interest in her at bay, but with every day that went by, Salehe felt more and more attracted to her.

He still cared for Kamaria, but as it usually occurs with arranged marriages, Salehe had not been in love with her when they got married and became the Eyasi Pride's leaders. He was never intrigued by Kamaria the way he felt when he was with Johari. Although he was an older lion already, he had never experienced this feeling before, and was very keen on exploring it further.

Salehe watched as Johari climbed out of the lake, soaking wet. Her usual intense shaking followed, splashing him slightly with droplets of cold water.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" he asked, drying his face with his paw.

Johari chuckled in response. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't... All right, I'm ready to go."

"You really don't mind walking all the way back to the lair while you're soaked like that?"

The lioness shrugged slightly. "It gets a bit chilly, but it's no big deal. I usually ask someone at the lair if they can help dry me up."

Salehe looked around for a moment, looking at the grasses and leaves shifting in the breeze. He knew she'd be chilled to the bone by the time they reached the lair. He had the perfect excuse to try and get closer to her, without involving him hurting her and pinning her down forcefully like he did during fight-time.

"It's a bit windy tonight, and I don't want you to catch a cold. Maybe I can help you dry you up?" he asked her, his heart racing up slightly.

Johari tilted her head. "You want to dry me? But I thought you were hungry..."

"That can wait, it's okay," he insisted, getting closer to her.

Johari shrugged and lay down on her belly. "Um, okay, if you insist... I'll do my paws, then, you can do my back."

For a short moment nothing else could be heard except the sounds of the nocturnal insects, while the two lions were too busy to engage in conversation.

As Johari dried her legs and paws, she noticed that at some point Salehe sat a bit closer and wrapped a paw around her, embracing her gently. Johari stopped licking herself for a moment, and glanced towards him over his shoulder. Salehe had his eyes closed, and appeared rather content as he did his best to dry her up.

Johari focused on her paws again, biting her lip slightly. Salehe could not possibly have feelings for her, that was just too dumb to be true. He already had a steady mate, and Johari knew she could not compete with a strong and high-ranking female like Kamaria. There was just no way this could happen. But the way Salehe had embraced her just now, giving her some of his warmth, made her question his motivations to help her dry up.

The lioness shifted position with the excuse to reach her back legs, so Salehe had no other choice but to release her from his embrace, and he concentrated on licking the back of her head instead.

"There," she finally said, "the worst is gone now."

Salehe heard her, but he continued to gently lick her neck and behind her ears, his eyes closed in concentration.

Johari turned around and faced Salehe, making him lick her nose by accident. He opened his eyes startled, and stared into Johari's face, who was looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I guess I got carried away."

Johari gave him a small grin, and whispered, "I bet you were thinking about Kamaria, hmm?"

Salehe held his breath for a moment, wondering whether he should tell Johari about his feelings for her or not. He looked into her eyes, and could not help himself. "I wasn't thinking about her."

Johari blinked a couple of times, looking away in disbelief. But Salehe took her chin with his paw and gently turned her head towards him once more, until they were gazing into each other's eyes.

"You know this cannot be, Salehe," Johari told him, "You already have a mate... I'm nobody, what would you possibly see in me?"

"I can't help it if I've fallen for you..." he admitted sincerely, "You're a beautiful lioness, and you make me feel so... alive, I just can't describe it..."

Johari looked at him, wondering herself exactly what she actually felt for Salehe. He was a good friend, and she appreciated his help, but she was not in love with him, not at all. She hated to have to turn him down, and perhaps ruin their friendship, and her fighting lessons. But she much rather do that, than pretend to have feelings for him.

"I'm sorry, Salehe... It was not my intention to lead you on. I'd never come between you and your mate."

"I take it you feel nothing for me?" he asked, sounding very discouraged.

"I care for you, Salehe, you're a good friend, but I don't have romantic feelings for you..."

"Is there someone else in your life already? Maybe a rogue I don't know about?"

Johari shook her head. "You know my feelings towards rogues... I'm just focused on other things at the moment. I don't see a romantic relationship in my future, especially knowing that I could die any time soon. I just want to focus on my fighting training for now..."

Salehe stood up, not having prepared himself for this rejection. "Fine. Clear enough. Okay, I'm going home, good night," he said, and quickly left, not feeling in the mood for talking any more.

Johari watched him leave, and cursed out loud, wondering if she made the right thing by being bluntly honest with him.

* * *

Johari had gone to the usual meeting point for her lesson, and waited for Salehe to show up. She was not sure if he would come at all, after their last conversation by the lake, but she perked her ears up when she saw him heading her way. They had barely exchanged a word since that night, so she had prepared herself for an awkward lesson.

"Hello, thanks for coming..." she greeted him politely, but he only grunted in return.

"Let's take it from where we left off last time," he said without further ado.

Johari nodded, and prepared to pounce on him from behind, as sneakily as possible. The lioness finally jumped, but Salehe turned around on time and hit her across the head with a paw, sending her down to the ground.

Johari shook her head, feeling dazed, not having expected that move from him. "I.. I thought you'd just move aside, like last time..."

"Well, this is a new lesson, so try to keep up. You could have avoided that blow if you applied what you had learned the lessons before that! Now get up!" he snarled, just like during the first lessons.

Johari frowned. She was sure Salehe was taking his frustration out on her by bullying her during the lesson. But she would not back off. She stood up again and mumbled, "Fine, if that's how it's going to be..." The lioness then unsheathed her claws.

Johari tried all the moves that she had learned from him in the past few weeks, but Salehe kept blocking her attacks with with newer moves that they had not studied yet.

The lesson was not even halfway when Johari already sported several wounds and bruises. She had not managed to hurt Salehe, not even once, and the lioness finally realized that the amazing progress she thought she had made was only because Salehe had been holding back on her all this time.

Johari couldn't hold in her anger and her frustration, and she burst into tears, ignoring Salehe's drilling for a moment.

"What's the matter? Does it hurt that much that you've given up already? Do you think the rogues will be softened by your tears?"

"Screw you," she mumbled between sobs, "You led me to believe I was doing a good job, but all this time you were just being too careful with me! I feel I haven't learned anything at all!"

"Well, I'm not holding back now, am I? So take it or leave it," Salehe replied.

Johari dried her face with a paw and stared at him angrily. She stood up once more, and poised herself for combat once again. She was now on edge, expecting the unexpected from him. Her guard was up, and she just needed to try harder in anticipating his moves.

By the end of the lesson, Johari had successfully blocked some of his attacks, and also landed a couple of blows of her own. She didn't care about hurting Salehe this time, and even took advantage of a short moment of distraction when Salehe was inspecting one of his wounds.

"Don't lower your guard!" She yelled and jumped at him, throwing him off balance for a change. The lioness knocked him to the ground and stood up with two forepaws holding his shoulders and chest down.

Salehe looked up at her in surprise, but when he tried to get up, Johari pressed harder on his shoulders, and bared her teeth.

The lion tried to push her away as he kicked and scratched her with his back legs, but Johari stood through the pain and bent down to circle her jaws around his neck. She didn't bite hard, but had she done it, Salehe would have been in deep trouble.

The lion stopped kicking her, and Johari eventually released his throat. She looked at him, and then stepped off, allowing him to stand up once again.

She considered the lesson to be over, so she walked away a few steps to tend to her wounds.

Salehe got to his feet and sat down next to her. It was until then that he realized how much he had hurt Johari throughout the lesson, and he felt very guilty that he let his anger get the best of him. The lioness was bleeding from several places, and she even sported a nasty scratch on the bridge of her nose.

"Look... I'm sorry I hurt you-"

"Don't," she interrupted, "I want my next lesson to be like this one, And the next. I don't want you tiptoeing around me anymore. I want it to be as real as possible, so that I'll know what to expect. I don't care if I get hurt, I've told you before a million times already."

Salehe sighed, and nodded. "You did well tonight, after your weak start. I really mean it."

He carefully leaned over to clean the scratch on Johari's nose with a few gentle licks, clearly torn between staying with her and nurse her wounds, and returning back to the lair.

Johari took a step backwards and thanked him softly. She then walked away and lay down on her own, cleaning her nose herself with her paw.

Salehe got her message, and he went back to the lair, still feeling sorry for what he had done. He had expected Johari to be angry at him for having been so rough. It was not her fault that he fell in love with her, after all. But instead, she had been angry at him, for not hurting her like this before. _She's a strange one_, he thought, sighing deeply.

By the time Johari returned to the lair, the lionesses began to question her about all her wounds.

"What happened to you?" Faiza asked her, examining the injuries closely.

"Don't worry. This means that my lessons just got real," Johari replied, giving her a triumphant smile, "If you excuse me, I'm going straight to sleep now."

The lioness bid the Pride good night, leaving the rest of the lionesses confused and worried about her.

Johari lay down on her usual resting spot. Despite the pain and discomfort she was feeling, she smiled to herself. If she had known that by rejecting Salehe, he would finally treat her like a real opponent, she would have been a lot meaner when turning him down, she thought as she closed her eyes to sleep.

* * *

As weeks went by, Johari couldn't help but feeling that Salehe was one again being extra careful around her. She tried to upset him on purpose, but the lion had promised that he would not let his anger take over again. He was still tough and strict, but their encounters felt more like the previous lessons, as opposed to a real fight, much to Johari's disappointment.

One early morning, right before sunrise, Johari felt thirsty, so she made a trip to the lake on her own. As she bent down to drink, she stared at her reflection, and noticed her muscles had developed considerably. She hadn't noticed it before, but the extra exercise she was getting was giving her a more bulky appearance. She rolled her shoulder for a moment, and flexed the muscles of her leg, somehow feeling stronger than before all of a sudden.

She also inspected her nose in her reflection. The wound had healed completely, leaving a small scar behind. She carried on drinking, as she looked forward to today's lesson, but as the day went by, a feeling of restlessness began to overwhelm her. Once she started craving for company, the lioness realized what was going on; she would be coming into season soon.

Johari cursed to herself. She didn't feel like having cubs yet, so she would need to go into hiding. However, she felt she couldn't afford losing so many days of training. And what if the rogues decided to show up and she was safely tucked away while in hiding?

The lioness shook her head, she would need to stay near the lair. She was sure Salehe would insist in mating then, but she would have to be strong. There was no other option.

When nightfall came, Salehe finally joined Johari for the lesson. It didn't take him long to find out that she was now in a receptive mood.

Johari saw him scenting the air and looking in her direction, so she quickly told him, "I know, I'm coming into season. But the fact that I didn't go into hiding doesn't mean that I want to mate and have cubs. I stayed just to carry on with my training, and to be near the Pride, in case the rogues return."

Johari had expected him to be all over her within seconds, but to her surprise, Salehe shook his head and he even went as far as to refuse to teach her.

"I can't give you any lessons while you're in this state. Neither you nor I will be concentrated enough. It'll be a waste of time."

"Nonsense," Johari replied, "We just need to put our urges aside and concentrate on the fight. Can we at least try?"

Salehe looked at her sadly. "Johari... I still haven't gotten over you... What you're asking of me is extremely difficult. I am not sure I'll be able to behave myself around you, with you in this state..."

"It's not that bad, right? I mean, we're behaving fine just now..."

Salehe eyed her critically for a moment. "It's going to get worse. Tell me... This is not your first season, is it?"

Johari shook her head. "It's my third. But I didn't come to you for help, since I didn't want any cubs."

The lion nodded understandingly. "Then you don't know what it is like to be with a male during this time. Mark my words, Johari, you might not have feelings for me, but even then you will be begging me for assistance if I don't leave soon."

"Well, right now I really feel in control, so let's not waste any more time and get started. We'll see later if things get worse or not," she insisted.

Salehe sighed deeply. "Okay, just don't say I didn't warn you... Follow me," he added, feeling slightly afraid and excited at the same time about the possible outcome of this fighting lesson.

Johari followed him to a more secluded area. She was sure he wanted to ensure them some privacy, just in case. But the lioness, while craving company, she was not feeling any unusual attraction towards Salehe just yet.

"Okay, let's get started then..." the lion said, and they began trying to block each other's paw strikes.

As the lesson carried on, Johari could tell that Salehe was having problems focusing on the task at hand. More often than not he'd stop to sniff her neck for a moment, or he would seek a way to engage in physical contact, which did not involve wrestling or fighting.

"Salehe... Please, I've asked you a thousand times, don't hold back, come on! Give me all you got!" she demanded, getting into a fighting stance, but the lion shook his head.

"No... I can't... I'm sorry, Johari. I gave it a try, but this is not working. I won't be able to resist it much longer and will end up doing something I might regret later. It's fine if you don't wish to mate with me, then I'll respect your decision. But I'll just return to the lair now and let you be."

Johari stopped him from leaving, unaware that her hormones were now starting to act up, making her act more impulsive than usual.

"Let's make a deal. I'll let you have your way with me... But only if you defeat me in a real fight."

"What?" Salehe asked, not sure he understood her correctly.

"We'll have a real fight. There will be no holding back, and no being careful. If you win, I'll let you mate with me."

Salehe shook his head. "See? You're not thinking straight anymore. What about the possible cubs that could result from this? This is no game, Johari."

But Johari was not listening to him anymore. She got into a fighting stance again, and with no warning, she pounced at him, claws outstretched.

Salehe had no option but to defend himself, and blocked her attack effectively, scratching her in the process.

Johari ignored the pain and tried again, but this time Salehe was prepared and began wrestling her, doing his best to get this fight done and over as quickly as possible. He found out that the lioness was really not holding back at all, and she had become stronger and tougher than before. Her speed was still her best asset, but in the end, his weight and brute strength were still a huge advantage on his favor, and he managed to pin down Johari after all, only not as easily as he used to.

Both lions stood up, tired and panting, both of them sporting multiple scratches and bite marks.

Salehe quickly assessed his wounds, and then turned to Johari, who was standing very still, staring at the ground intently.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I don't know... I feel strange..." she replied softly.

The lion didn't lower his guard, wondering if she was about to trick him. But it seemed that Johari's fighting mood had quickly faded, and she was simply staring at her wounds, looking slightly confused.

"What is it?" Salehe asked as he approached her.

"I don't know how to describe it... The pain just feels... different..."

Salehe gave her a small grin. "You like it."

Johari looked up. "What? No! I... I have no idea..."

The lion stood right next to her and nipped her hard on the shoulder.

Johari winced at first and was about to tell him off, but a small wave of pleasure ran through her body a few seconds later, startling her.

"What in the world's happening to me..." she muttered softly, backing off a few steps.

"This is how your body reacts when you're with a male during your season," he explained, giving her a few more quick bites behind her neck, just to tease her, clearly enjoying himself too.

Salehe's gentle bites had the desired effect, causing Johari immense pleasure, while her mind transformed the pain into a rather pleasant feeling instead. It was so intense, that Johari's cravings took over for a moment. The lioness didn't even realize that she had lain down in front of Salehe, as if ready to mate with him.

Salehe only sat back, while watching her longingly. He cared too much for her so as to take advantage of her moment of weakness. He simply waited until she came back to her senses and realized the position she was in.

"Oh, man... Did we- What happened just now?" she whispered to herself, while secretly craving more of his attentions.

"Can you understand now why we cannot have these fighting lessons, unless you really want something to happen between us?" Salehe asked, doing his best to hold back himself.

Johari nodded, but it was too late. She didn't want him to leave. "You won the fight, though..."

Salehe nodded knowingly. "Don't worry. You didn't know how much worse it could get. Your offer no longer stands." He was about to turn around, when he heard her whispering softly.

"Please, don't leave... Stay with me..."

Salehe walked back to her and whispered in her ear, "You know what will happen if I stay..."

"Yes, I do..." Johari admitted, and exposed her neck and shoulders to him again, surrendering to him.

Salehe could not resist any longer and he finally let himself go, allowing his instincts to take over.

They were both so engrossed in the heat of the moment that they never noticed that someone had been listening and watching them for a while. None of them saw the figure of a lioness returning back to the lair, with her head and tail hanging low.


	5. A New Fighter is Born

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 5: A New Fighter is Born**

The upcoming days had been quite memorable for Johari. The fighting lessons she received from Salehe during that week were some of the more realistic she ever had, and she actually did a good job at keeping most of his attacks at bay.

The lion was not holding back at all this time, since he knew that her body was now interpreting the pain signals differently, translating pain into pleasure instead. Each rough fighting lesson they had, led to some of the most intense love making sessions Salehe had ever experienced. His interest and passion for Johari increased tenfold, and by the time her season was finally over, the lion actually felt extremely sad and depressed, knowing that the best time he had ever had, was now coming to an end.

Johari knew it was about time for them to return to the lair, and she tried to persuade him to come along.

"Come on, we should head back... I don't know about you, but I could use some food," she told him, pawing him gently on the side.

Salehe looked at her and stood up reluctantly. He had to admit he was very hungry as well. They hadn't eaten anything in days, being way more busy with other matters.

The two lions walked quietly, but Salehe finally dared to ask Johari the one question that kept coming up in his mind. "Tell me, Johari... Have your feelings for me changed at all in the past few days?"

"I've gotten to know you better, that's for sure. Before my lessons, and before my season, we hardly ever talked. I think you're a great lion, with a heart of gold," she replied, smiling warmly at him, "But... I won't lie to you... I am still not in love. I think you should now go back to your mate and spend some time with her..."

Salehe let out a little snort. "Just the thought of being with Kamaria now... I'd rather go mate with a crocodile."

"Is she that bad?" Johari ventured to ask.

"She's not bad... But she's definitely not you."

Johari blushed, feeling slightly guilty, but also very confident in herself.

"There's one thing I learned for sure in the past few days..." Johari added after a short moment of silence, looking a bit more serious, "I'll never be able to pin down a male who doesn't afford to make mistakes while fighting... Not unless he's got some sort of disadvantage or something. All this fighting I've learned, is just to buy me more time, and that's it..."

"Yes, the time needed for someone to go and alert me..." Salehe agreed, "But you know... If you were to find another lioness as interested in fighting, and as motivated as you are, I am sure that between the two of you, you could certainly give a full grown male a run for his money. Why don't you check with the rest of the lionesses? Maybe you could teach the other cub-sitters a few moves..."

Johari perked up her ears as she pondered his suggestion. "That's a great idea! I'll ask around..."

As they reached their lair, Salehe greeted the lionesses and headed straight for the leftovers of the previous hunting session. He began eating ravenously, hunger finally catching up with him.

Johari waited for her turn, and in the meantime she went to join the rest of the Pride, who was lounging nearby while the cubs took a nap. She noticed everyone was staring in her direction, but no one was saying much.

"Hey, what's going on?" she greeted them.

"Why didn't you let us know you and Salehe would be gone for a couple of days? Kamaria was worried sick..." Tisha told her sternly.

Johari folded her ears backwards for a moment. "I'm sorry... I wasn't expecting to stay away that long... I was planning to come back, but my season got the best of me this time..." she admitted, looking down at the grass, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Well, glad to see you back..." Gasira replied, while the rest of the lionesses continued to stare at her.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?"

The lionesses looked at each other, but it was Tisha who dared to speak first, "Don't mean to be rude or anything, but you look like crap... Don't you think these fighting lessons are getting out of hand?"

Johari tilted her head for a moment. She looked down at her paws and inspected her chest and belly. There were gashes all over, probably her face and back looked the same. She smiled to herself, and tried to reassure them, "Don't worry, they look worse than they feel. Besides, this is good, I can get used to the pain, you see? I won't get startled if a stranger comes and does this to me; I know what to expect."

The lionesses were not too convinced, but they didn't push it further.

"Actually, I was going to ask if maybe one of you would like to join me! I'll teach you what I've learned, and if we team up, Salehe reckons we could actually take on a full grown male. What do you say?"

The lionesses looked at each other, but Johari's battered look was not very reassuring.

"I'll pass.. I think between you and him, our Pride should be more than safe now," Etana replied.

"Yeah," Faiza added, "I much rather go hunting, if it's all the same to you."

Johari looked at Tisha, but she also shook her head, and said, "Nah... I have enough discomfort on my body as it is, I don't need to add more to it..." The vervets had done an excellent job at clearing most of the fleas, but all it took was one little bite for Tisha to break into a rash, which she would then worsen by scratching it constantly.

Johari couldn't hide a discouraged look on her face. "Fine... I'll check with Kamaria later, maybe she'll be interested..."

"Um..." Tisha started, "I'd leave Kamaria alone for now, if I were you."

Johari frowned slightly. "Does this have to do with me spending time with Salehe?"

The lioness nodded in reply.

"She was really upset because neither one of you had the decency to let her know. You kinda broke a big rule there..." Tisha explained, "I think it's better if you let her and Salehe talk things over first."

Johari stared into the distance thoughtfully, but took her pride-mate's advice in the end. She sat down to wait until Salehe was done eating, and once he moved away from the food, she dived in, grateful to the huntresses who brought the meal in.

* * *

Salehe had been looking for Kamaria for a while already, and he finally found her, hiding in her favorite spot, a big hollow in the trunk of a baobab, big enough to fit one lion.

"There you are... I've been looking for you."

Kamaria opened her eyes and peeked outside. "Yeah... Same here... Since seven days ago."

Salehe frowned, but he then realized that he never notified her that he would be going away to assist a lioness in season. His frown faded, as he understood why Kamaria was angry at him.

"Please, come out of there so that we can talk..."

Kamaria squeezed out of the hole in the tree and faced him. Salehe could see she had been crying.

"I'm really sorry I didn't let you know..." the lion said, "Johari's season kinda took us both by surprise..."

"Yeah, I guess taking five minutes of your time to come and warn me was just too much to ask."

Salehe was at a loss of words for a moment, detecting a hint of jealousy in her voice. While he never felt love for Kamaria the way he felt for Johari, he knew very well that Kamaria was very much in love with him. She had never been bothered by the arranged marriage, and even as a cub, she looked up to him and wanted nothing than to be by his side.

"I don't know what else to say... I'm very sorry..."

Kamaria looked at him. "I went looking for you. Your usual practice spot was deserted, so I got more and more worried... And when I finally found you, imagine my shock when I saw you all over her... Being so passionate... You've never loved me like that, Salehe."

The lion felt his heart sink to his stomach, while Kamaria got closer, looking at his face intently. He was also covered in wounds and scratches, and out of the blue, Kamaria slapped him across the face with her claws outstretched, making him wince and step back a few paces.

"Is this what you like? Will this get you in the mood to love me like you did with her?" she asked, sounding angry.

Salehe shook his head, and blocked her when she tried to scratch him again. "Stop this, Kamaria. You're misinterpreting the situation. The reason I look like this is because we're not holding back in the training any more. I am fighting her like I would fight a stranger crossing the borders, and she is defending herself in the same way she would if a rogue were to jump at her."

Kamaria snorted and looked away. "Well, I want these so-called lessons to stop. Lately all you do is come home, eat and fall asleep. I want you to actually spend time with me and your cubs... You should start thinking about training Faraji now..."

Salehe looked away, clearly not pleased with the turn of events. "I made her a promise, so I will stop the lessons when Johari asks me to. Besides, it's all for the well-being of the Pride, and if you can't see that then-"

"Oh, I can see a lot more than that, Salehe," Kamaria interrupted him, baring her fangs slightly, "Just remember that you also made a commitment to me, and you're doing quite a lousy job at it."

Salehe finally nodded in agreement. He had to admit that he had been neglecting Kamaria a lot lately, so he'd have to do better from now on.

"I'm sorry," he finally said, "You're right... I'll start Faraji's training, and you can start teaching Adla."

The lioness nodded quietly.

"How can I make it up to you?" Salehe asked her, rubbing her cheek with a paw.

"You already know how," she mumbled as she pushed his paw away.

"Anything else, that doesn't involve cutting Johari's training short?" he insisted.

The lioness turned around and looked over her shoulder, "Yeah. Go wash yourself. Her scent is all over you and it's making me sick." She then crawled back inside the hollow, signaling to Salehe that this conversation was now over.

The lion didn't say more, and made his way back to the lair, wishing he could be totally honest with Kamaria and the way he felt about her and Johari. But the way Kamaria was acting now was warning enough that she would not take the news very well, so he kept his feelings to himself.

* * *

Kamaria had been avoiding Johari for several days, until Johari caught her off guard one day, as she was distracted while drinking water by the lake.

"You can't run away from me now," Johari said, startling Kamaria for a moment.

The lioness dried her muzzle quickly with her tongue and turned to Johari. "What do you want?"

Johari walked closer to her and sat down on her haunches. "You hadn't given me the chance to apologize for what happened... You see, I wasn't planning on requesting Salehe's assistance... If I had, I swear I would have come to talk to you first. I know the rules, I know I messed up with the protocol... So I wanted to say I'm sorry..."

Kamaria looked at the lioness, who was sporting fresh new cuts from her recent lessons.

"Yes, you both were pretty inconsiderate, but I appreciate your apology all the same," Kamaria replied, while coming up with an idea that might help in preventing Johari from spending time with Salehe, so she went on, "Speaking of inconsiderate, don't you think it's pretty harmful for you to continue these lessons, knowing you might possibly be with cub?"

"I'll be fine as long as he avoids my belly," Johari replied, sensing a lot of resentment coming from her.

Kamaria circled her for a moment. "As leader of this Pride, it is my task to look out for the well being of all its members. I've already given you a lot of liberties. You're excused from hunting, and you're allowed to participate in this... fighting training thing. But as soon as it becomes obvious that you are with cub, you will put a stop to these lessons. It is not a question, but an order. Is that clear?"

"Kamaria, you're over-reacting... How many pregnant lionesses out there have to hunt and fight to survive-"

"Well, you're not out there, are you? You're under my care and Salehe's, and as such, you'll do as I say," she snarled, trying to assert her dominance.

Johari stood up, frowning slightly. "I had also come here to ask you if you wanted to join me, and learn all that Salehe has taught me. Between the two of us we could tackle a rogue... I suppose that's just out of the question, huh?"

Kamaria shook her head without hesitation. The last thing she wanted right now was to spend time with Johari. "You suppose right. Now, please leave me alone, I have a busy day ahead."

Johari had had enough of her hostility, and simply turned around without another word. She could tell that something else was bothering Kamaria, perhaps she already figured out that Salehe liked her more than he should.

The lioness came to the conclusion that maybe it was a good idea if she distanced herself from Salehe for a little bit. His feelings towards her might cool down and everything would go back to normal. But that would only be in the case she turned out to be pregnant. If not, Johari would continue her lessons and ignore Kamaria's hostility as much as possible.

* * *

Johari woke up one morning, only to find two cubs staring at her intently. She sat up quickly and rubbed her eyes, wondering what Bahiya and Adla would want at this time of the day.

"Morning, Johari!" they greeted loudly.

"Wow... if I wasn't awake then, I am now..." she told them, "What are you guys up to?"

"We've come to ask you if it's true, what we heard..." Bahiya replied.

Johari looked at them, confused, "And what was that?"

"The lionesses think you're gonna have a cub. But we thought, instead of just guessing around, why not ask you? So here we are," Adla replied.

Johari blinked for a moment, not happy to hear that they had been gossiping about her behind her back. She stood up, glancing at her belly. It did look slightly larger than normal, and the lioness had felt unusually tired. "I guess I could be expecting..."

The cubs proceeded to bombard her with questions.

"Have you thought of a name already?"

"Will you let the cub go play with us?"

"What do you want it to be? A male or a female?"

Johari let out a loud laugh. "Girls, girls, settle down. I have no idea! Up until this morning I wasn't even aware that my belly was bigger."

Adla smiled and turned to Bahiya, "It's still great, you know? Another playmate to hang out with, I can't wait!"

Bahiya nodded, and addressed Johari, "We'll go back now and tell the others it's true, okay?"

Before Johari could say anything, the two cubs ran off in the direction of the acacias, where the lionesses had settled down to groom themselves after waking up.

Johari shook her head, feeling scared and excited for a moment. Her excitement faded when she remembered Kamaria's orders. She wasn't looking forward on taking a break from her lessons, but she also wanted to keep the leader content and not get into more trouble for disobeying.

The lioness waited for a couple of days just to be sure, but when morning sickness began to set in, there was no doubt at all. Johari was expecting her very first cub.

Salehe had been thrilled when he heard the news, but he was less happy when Johari told him about her conversation with Kamaria. He had to agree with his mate in this case; stopping the lessons would be the best for the cub. Their fighting sessions were a lot heavier lately, and it could take just one tiny mistake for him to hit her full force on her belly and jeopardize her pregnancy.

So, reluctantly, Salehe and Johari put the training on hold, much to Kamaria's content. The lioness had felt extremely jealous, so she was thrilled to have Salehe's attention back, and they were both quite busy as they started teaching Adla and Faraji the ways of the lions, and how to be good and fair leaders.

Johari missed the lessons terribly, and she would often be seen practicing moves on her own, slashing at plants, coconuts and trees. While she had gotten used to the idea that she would become a mother, the lioness still cursed her luck sometimes. She had thought she could not afford to miss one week of training while during her season, but now she would have to pay the price for having given in to her urges back then. She would have to miss about two months of lessons, if not more.

Salehe insisted that she had all the basics nailed down anyway, and if she kept practising on her own like she had been doing, she would be just fine.

So the lioness continued to practise alone, until her cub became too heavy, and her body began demanding huge amounts of rest and sleep.

Johari was more than glad once she started feeling the indications that her cub was on the way, and she retreated to give birth not far away from the lair, just in case they needed her help. The lioness tried to used Salehe's training to block the pain and focus on something else, just like she had learned, and not long after, she brought a little, ochre-colored lioness into the world.

Johari pulled her close and began cleaning her carefully. The cub began crying not long after, demanding to be fed. Johari lay down on her side, and allowed the cub to nurse. She closed her eyes, wondering just how much her life would change, now that this little one depended on her care to survive.

While Johari had not intended on getting cubs just yet, an idea had sparked in her mind. No one else in the Pride had accepted to join her fighting lessons, but this little cub here could still be molded into a good warrior. Johari felt she was allowed to raise her own cub the way she deemed it fit, so she decided that the cub would get fighting lessons from her, along with the usual hunting training from the rest of the lionesses.

"Who knows, maybe we'll get to defend the Pride together, once you're all grown up," she said softly, nuzzling the cub gently, who continued to meow nonstop, even after being fed.

Johari looked at the cub thoughtfully. "I dunno... None of the names I had thought for you seem to fit, now that I look at your beautiful face..." She then smiled broadly, listening to the cub's soft, continuous meowing, "I think I'll call you Chiku..."

* * *

Chiku turned out to be healthy and strong, and by the time she opened her eyes and started walking about, Johari decided to go back to the lair, and present her to the rest of the lionesses and to Salehe.

The Pride welcomed them warmly, except Kamaria, who had kept her distance. The cubs were thrilled with the arrival of a new playmate, even if she couldn't join in the games yet. Everyone was eager to take turns and groom little Chiku for a while.

Salehe sat next to Johari, looking proud. "Congratulations. She turned out beautiful, just like the mother," he said, making Kamaria frown for a moment.

"Thank you," Johari said, smiling brightly, "Listen, I'm feeling quite a lot better now, so I'd like to restart the training as soon as possible. I fear I've lost all my stamina in the meantime!"

Salehe's smile faded for a moment. "I'm afraid I don't have as much time as before... Faraji's lessons have started, so I need to spend more time with him nowadays."

"Oh..." Johari replied, feeling deflated, "Well, it doesn't have to be every day, you know? As long as I can keep on doing it so I won't forget..."

"You're doing fine practising on your own," Kamaria interrupted, obviously listening in to their conversation, "You've had your chance to learn from Salehe, and it's now Faraji's turn. He'll be the leader in the future, so I am sure you can understand how his training has priority over yours."

Johari couldn't stop herself and blurted out, "Sure, because my training was just for my own entertainment and is completely useless and irrelevant to the rest of the Pride. I take it _you _will tackle the next rogue that comes by while Salehe's gone?"

The lionesses went silent all of a sudden, feeling a sudden change in the mood around them.

Kamaria approached Johari and snarled close to her face. "Watch the way you address me. I am still your superior and you will respect me as such."

Johari didn't back not one inch, and replied, "Well, with all due respect, I'm getting sick and tired of you chewing my head off for everything lately. I've apologized to you about what happened already, will you please let it go and get off my back?"

Kamaria wanted to make it clear to everyone that she would not tolerate any disrespect, from anyone, and as demonstration, she lifted her paw with the intention to strike Johari on the face, but Johari swiftly blocked her attack and pushed Kamaria backwards with force.

The Pride gasped, watching them intently and wondering whether Johari would challenge Kamaria's authority. But the lioness had no intention of doing so, she only wanted to be left alone; Johari had the feeling that Kamaria had been bullying her a bit too much lately, and she wanted to put a stop to it.

"Think twice, Kamaria, because if you attack me, I will not hesitate to defend myself," Johari warned her.

Salehe finally came between them and tried to calm them down. "Please, this was supposed to be a happy moment, let's not ruin it. Kamaria, I promise you I will not neglect Faraji's training at all. And Johari, I will let you know whenever I have time for a lesson. In the meantime, you can practise on your own, and dedicate yourself to your cub. She will require most of your attention anyway. This is the last I want to hear about this, no more discussion. Is that clear?"

Both Johari and Kamaria nodded silently, but the tension was still visible between the two females. Johari was willing to let it go, but Kamaria was more reluctant to agree to a truce. She accepted in the end, but continued to avoid Johari as much as she could.

Johari was now completely sure that Kamaria was aware of Salehe's feelings towards her, and that this was the reason why she was acting so nasty. She might confront her about it sometime, but for now, she would just focus on her cub and on teaching her everything she had learned so far.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I hope you're all enjoying this tale so far! I am also working on some character sheets, so that you guys can see what the lionesses actually look like. I've only got three done so far (Duni, Chiku and Damisi) If you'd like to check them out please go to nichers . deviantart . com (remove the spaces.)


	6. From Mother to Daughter

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 6: From Mother to Daughter**

Several weeks had gone by, and Johari continued to practise on her own, with the occasional meeting with Salehe, where they would fight fiercely against each other, as if trying to make up for the lost time.

Kamaria would often supervise those lessons, keeping and eye on the both of them. But even then, Salehe's feelings for Johari did not fade, on the contrary, he was determined to win her heart somehow. But with Kamaria following their every step, Salehe was forced to keep quiet for now.

Johari also started training Chiku, who was now about three months old. The rest of the lionesses had frowned upon this, considering that Chiku was way too young for such a harsh training, but Johari didn't listen to them. She decided she would start with the basic moves and work it up from there as the cub grew up. Because of this, Chiku didn't have too much time to spend with the other cubs. Her interaction with them was minimal, so she never really learned how to get along with them.

Whenever Chiku had some time to spare and tried to join the rest in a game, more often than not she would be shunned for either being too quiet, or for being too blunt to the point of being considered rude. Her play was quite rough too, so the cubs never included her in their playful wrestling matches. Even when Chiku learned how to control her strength, no one looked forward to challenging her to a match.

Damisi could sympathize with Chiku, because she also felt that the older cubs pushed her aside sometimes, or didn't take into account the fact that she was a bit younger and she could not play at their level all the time. She always lost at wrestling, she was slower when playing Tag, and she simply felt out of place when hanging out with the higher-ranking trio consisting of Faraji, Adla and Bahiya. Hadithi would keep an eye on them, like an older brother, but he never did anything to make Damisi feel included in the group.

One cloudy afternoon, Adla, Faraji, Bahiya and Damisi had gathered together to play by the acacias. The distant rumbling in the sky announced that it would start raining soon, so the cubs were enjoying the dry weather while it lasted.

Hadithi felt he was getting too old for these childish games, and he refused to join in, although he still lingered nearby and kept an eye on the younger ones. He particularly liked watching Adla at play. The lioness had a huge imagination and would invent the craziest scenarios, resulting in a lot of fun for the cubs.

While Hadithi looked for a comfortable resting spot, the rest of the cubs were discussing which game to play. They eventually agreed on Hot Lava, so they returned to the rocky formation at the lair, where they would jump from rock to rock and the first one to miss a jump and fall to the ground would lose.

Damisi was the first one to fall, and when she tried to rejoin the game, the others wouldn't let her.

"It's the rules," Faraji said, "You can't join in again until everyone else falls down, so wait for your turn!"

Damisi knew they could keep on jumping from rock to rock for quite a long time, and she had no intention of waiting. She turned around and walked away, looking sulky.

"I didn't even want to play that game anyway," she yelled at them as she walked towards the lake, where the older lionesses had congregated.

On her way to the lake, Damisi was distracted by some voices nearby. As she pricked her ears to listen better, she managed to identify them. It was Johari, teaching Chiku.

Damisi sat down for a moment, looking thoughtful. She knew Chiku rarely joined in with their games, being either busy with her mom, or just fast asleep. But Damisi didn't feel like playing on her own right now, so perhaps she would try and ask Chiku to join her. She didn't mind much if Chiku was quiet; Damisi was sure it would still be more fun than being alone.

With that thought in mind, Damisi took a detour and headed towards where Johari and her daughter were practising, and listened intently to their conversation.

"I'm so tired... Can we stop now?" Chiku said, whining slightly. She was panting heavily, and shifted her weight from one foreleg to another, wincing in pain every time.

"No, not until you get this right, Chiku! Besides, you're not concentrating and you're not paying attention."

Chiku looked up at Johari and muttered, "Can we have a break then? Just a little one... Please?"

"I said no. We'll stop only after you manage to slice up that fruit," Johari replied firmly, pointing to a pile of coconuts she had gathered earlier, "The sooner you're done with that, the sooner I'll let you rest for the day."

Damisi peeked at them behind the bushes, and spotted Chiku, looking quite angry and frustrated at not getting her way.

Johari could tell that the cub's temper was flaring, and she told her, "Focus your anger on that fruit, go on."

Chiku's nostrils opened wide and she closed her eyes tight as she let out a tantrum on the offending fruit. She slashed on the hard shell as furiously as she could, until she managed to break it open, sprinkling its milk and sending bits of pulp flying all over the place.

"Perfect! Don't stop there, pick another one and open it, go on!"

Johari watched as Chiku reluctantly carried on with the lesson, training her little claws to withstand pain and to slash effectively.

"Don't just hit with your paws, use those claws! Come on!"

Damisi continued to watch, feeling sorry for Chiku, who was obviously in a lot of pain. She kept groaning, and tears were running down her face every time her mother told her to pick up yet another coconut and break it open.

When the pile of fruits was finally depleted, Johari sat down by Chiku and held her close, feeling proud. "You did a good job."

The cub pulled away, still looking very angry. "How is this going to help me fight another lion?"

Johari bent over to be at Chiku's level, and patted the cub's head softly, "When a real opponent challenges you, he will probably be teasing and taunting you, trying to get you all worked up so that you lose your concentration and start making mistakes. I can already tell that you get angry very easily, so it is extremely important that you learn to channel that anger into the fight, concentrating as hard as you can. Look at all those coconuts right here. Just a while ago you told me you'd never succeed in breaking one open, remember? But once you managed to focus, you opened them all up."

Chiku looked down, staring at her throbbing paws while sobbing, but nodded quietly in the end, understanding today's lesson, as painful as it had been.

Johari also took a closer look at the cub's paws. She could see the base of some of Chiku's nails had started to bleed. She felt bad to see her cub in pain, but she knew in the long run it would make Chiku a stronger and fiercer fighter. Johari picked up Chiku by the scruff of her neck, and placed her between her paws.

"You're covered in the fruit's juice, let me clean that up before the ants start crawling up on you..." Johari said, and began grooming the cub tenderly, while massaging her little neck and shoulders too, to relieve the tension.

Chiku nodded, feeling extremely glad that the lesson was finally over. At least her mother would now pamper her a bit, and she had to admit, she loved these massages afterwards. It meant she could finally let her guard down and relax.

It was at that point that Damisi dared to reveal her presence, and walked towards the two of them. "Hi..." she greeted them a bit shyly.

"Hello there," Johari said between licks, but Chiku remained silent.

"Can Chiku come play with me?"

Johari looked at Chiku, who was still lying quietly between her paws, her eyes half-closed. "I'm not sure, she looks pretty tired..."

Damisi nodded, understanding now why Chiku spent most of her free time sleeping. She needed to replenish her energy after all these strenuous lessons. But Damisi didn't give up so quickly. She got even closer and nudged Chiku gently. "Come on, we don't have to play anything wild or rough, we can just hang out together for a little bit..." she added, feeling a bit of pity for the lonesome cub.

Chiku was not sure what to do. She longed for a nap, but she was also curious about Damisi's sudden interest in her. She eyed Damisi, and then Johari, who was looking down at her, smiling.

"Want to stay with Damisi for a little while, before I tuck you in for the night?"

Chiku looked at Damisi again, who whispered encouragingly, "Come on, it'll be fun..."

Chiku finally nodded, and Johari licked the last remnants of coconut from her pelt.

"I'll be with the rest of the lionesses by the lake. Don't stray too far so I can keep an eye on you from there, okay?"

Both cubs nodded, and headed to a clearing, where they could see the Pride lounging by the lake, and in turn the grown-ups could keep a watchful eye on them.

Chiku was visibly limping, wincing at every step she took, so Damisi didn't walk too far.

"Come, let's sit down here. Your paws must be killing you, huh?"

Chiku didn't reply, she only flopped down on her belly and began licking her toes, trying to find some relief.

"Say... Is every lesson with your mom as hard as this one?" Damisi asked, trying her best to break the ice.

Chiku finally looked at her and nodded. "How come you and the others don't have lessons like this? Why am I the only one?"

Damisi shrugged. "I guess our moms don't care much for fighting. But your mom does, she says it's to defend the Pride from intruders and stuff."

Chiku sighed and stared ahead, watching Johari in the distance. "Well, I'd like to defend the Pride too someday. Mom says it is a really important task. But... I hate her lessons and I just feel so mad at her when she teaches me."

Damisi lay down next to her, glad that she finally got the little cub talking. "Your mom had to go through the same, did you know? Have you ever seen the lessons she gets from Salehe?"

Chiku shook her head. "No, why?"

"You should check them out once. They're crazy! If you didn't know they were just training, I swear you'd think they were gonna rip each other apart. But your mom had to practise a lot to get to that level. I was too little then, but even I remember seeing her slashing on coconuts, just like you just did."

Chiku remained very silent, pondering just how many more coconuts she would need to break open to become a decent fighter.

Damisi looked at her, and tried to encourage her a little. "You're doing a good job, by the way! I saw you giving all you got with those fruits! You went wild!"

Chiku snorted slightly. "Yeah... That's only 'cause I pictured all of them having mom's face. Just don't tell her, okay?"

Damisi let out a loud laugh, but covered her mouth quickly, nodding conspiratorially. "Okay, I promise!"

Chiku couldn't stifle a yawn, looking very sleepy now that the rush from the lesson had disappeared.

Damisi was enjoying herself, but she could tell that Chiku was really tired. "Do you want to go back to your mom so that you can sleep?"

Chiku looked at the Pride in the distance, but shook her head, eying her paws for a moment. "I don't feel like walking all the way there... I'll just stay here."

"I'll stay with you then," Damisi said. Although she was older by only a few months, Damisi already could tell that Chiku could use a friend to distract her from her mother's training. Besides, Damisi wanted to have someone to look after, the same way Adla looked after her. Chiku appeared to be the ideal candidate, since none of the other cubs had assumed a protective role with her yet.

"By the way, do you know if Adla is still mad at me for what I said the other day?" Chiku asked all of a sudden, closing her eyes while she settled down on a more comfortable position.

Damisi chuckled, lying close to Chiku, to keep her warm. "She was very angry, but I think she's forgotten all about it by now. But you know... I sorta happen to agree with you," the cub confessed in a hushed tone, "She's everyone's favorite, and she always gets her way just 'cause she'll be the leader some day."

Chiku opened her eyes once again, and looked at Damisi indignantly. "Yeah! Right? Like when they said we shouldn't be climbing those trees, but when she went and did it, no one scolded her about it! Everyone was going _Oh, Adla, she's such a good climber! _Eugh."

Damisi nodded, whispering softer, "Not only that! You weren't there, but this one time, Bahiya and I went to check out the Abandoned Cave. You know that's off limits to cubs our age, right?"

Chiku nodded, looking very interested.

"Well, Adla found us, so Bahiya and I got grounded, but the Pride was all, like, _Oh, Adla found them, praise Adla!_ Why didn't they ask her what _she _was doing in that cave in the first place? Huh?"

Chiku, having forgotten all about her sleepiness for a moment, lay down on her tummy. She rested her weight on her elbows while keeping her injured paws off the ground slightly. "You mean she hadn't gone there looking for you two?"

Damisi laughed. "Nope, I think she was spying on Hadithi or something. He almost saw her, so she ran to hide in the cave and came across us by accident... Adla is Bahiya's best friend so she didn't rat Adla out, but I told mom the truth. But she took Adla's side, and she said I should not be making stuff up! Can you imagine?"

Chiku blinked. "Wow, just our luck. Both our moms suck."

"Yeah, but Perfect Adla sucks the most," Damisi added with a little frown, feeling slightly jealous of her.

"Yeah. Perfect, pretty, intelligent Adla," Chiku added in a mocking tone, and both lionesses burst into giggles for a moment.

"Haven't you heard that it's very rude to talk about other lions behind their back?" came Adla's voice from behind them.

Both cubs jumped startled to their feet, but Chiku immediately lay down again, wincing in pain.

"Um... What are you doing here?" Damisi asked, feeling embarrassed to have been caught gossiping about her.

"We got bored of Hot Lava, so I came looking for you, to see if you wanted to join us for a round of Bury the Bone," Adla said, looking serious, "But from what I could hear, it doesn't sound like you want to play with me anymore."

Both Chiku and Damisi looked at each other with guilty expressions. They were expecting Adla to go tell on them, or to never invite them for a game ever again.

Instead, Adla sat down next to them, looking slightly hurt. "How about you tell me what you think about me straight to my face?"

Damisi looked away shyly, but Chiku, who had turned out to be more outspoken, dared to tell her, "It's no secret, you know? What I said the other day, and what you heard just now is nothing but the truth. Everyone likes you better because you're so perfect. Why don't you go make a mistake sometime, so they will cut us some slack?"

Adla tilted her head as she assessed the two cubs' disposition. Damisi had practically faded into the background, but Chiku was staring at her intently, awaiting for her comeback. Both cubs engaged in a staring contest, but not for playful purposes. For the first time in her life, Adla felt challenged by someone. The fact that Chiku was much younger than Adla may have seemed amusing, but Adla didn't take the matter lightly. This cub was, after all, being trained to be an effective killer, and if she turned out half as good as her mother, Adla could sustain serious injuries if they were to break into a fight. Adla knew it was better to keep Chiku on her side.

"You're right... I'm sorry, I guess I'm just trying too hard," Adla finally replied, making Chiku break eye contact first.

Chiku had expected all sorts of comebacks from her, except an apology. "Huh? What did you say?"

"You see," Adla went on, "Since I was born, everyone's been hammering into my brain that I'll eventually lead this Pride. I also heard my mother and Salehe talking one day, and she was going on about how a leader can't afford to make mistakes, and how the well-being of a Pride depended on it. You're not the only one taking extra lessons, Chiku. Every day my mother and I spend hours talking of what's expected of me in the future. Every day I am being told I have to do my best. I'm sorry if that upsets you, Chiku, but it's the role I've landed here. There's nothing much I can do about that."

Chiku looked at her with wide eyes. "Wow... That sounds like a big weight on your shoulders..." she admitted in the end.

Adla nodded at her, looking serious. "I really don't want to let everyone down, so I have to try my best at everything I do."

"That's the problem," Chiku said, finally breaking into a small smile, "You're good at everything... If I hear one more _'you should try it Adla's way'_, I'm gonna rage like a hippo."

Adla let out a laugh, blushing slightly.

Damisi finally dared to speak again and humbly muttered an apology. "I'm sorry about what we said... I guess I was just jealous, thinking that you always got what you wanted, without really doing anything for it. I had no idea you were working so hard."

"No problem, I understand. Truce?" Adla said, offering them her right paw.

The other two cubs placed their paws on top of Adla's and said in unison, "Truce."

"So," Adla said, brightening up, "You guys wanna join us for Bury the Bone?"

Damisi was about to accept, but Chiku was already shaking her head, declining her invitation.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I can run around right now, I'm staying here. You guys have fun."

Damisi hesitated for a moment, looking at Chiku's now swollen paws. She then looked at Adla and shook her head as well. "Thanks, but I'll stay and keep Chiku company instead... She's in pain and can't walk much right now."

Adla inspected Chiku's paws for a moment and couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "Okay, I'll talk to you later..." she replied, and headed back to the lair, where the other cubs had been waiting for her.

Chiku watched her leave and muttered, "That was embarrassing."

"I'll say," Damisi replied, "Good thing she never stays mad for long."

"I still don't like her much," Chiku whispered, curling up into a ball, feeling sleepy once again.

Damisi grinned to herself. She had also seen the tension between Adla and Chiku earlier. She could tell they both had very strong personalities, but while Adla kept her cool, Chiku tended to explode. Damisi wondered how this combination of tempers would work out in the long run, but for now, she was glad that they all had agreed on a truce.

"You don't have to stay with me, if you wanna go play," Chiku added after a short moment of silence.

Damisi shook her head and settled down next to Chiku. "Nah, we already know it'll be Adla who finds the bone," she snickered, "I rather stay here and take a nap along with you."

Chiku opened one eye and gave Damisi a smile, appreciating her company. They fell asleep so deeply that they didn't even notice when Johari and Tisha came to pick them up, to take them back to the lair for the night.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Adla's character sheet is now available too at nichers . deviantart . com (just remove the spaces. :D )


	7. Bad News From Afar

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 7: Bad News From Afar**

Chiku had not forgotten what Damisi told her a couple of weeks ago. She was curious to see her mother having a lesson of her own, so when she heard that Salehe had time to teach her one evening, Chiku decided to go watch them in secret. She didn't tell Johari, so that she wouldn't try to show off for her.

Kamaria would not be supervising them this time, she had taken Adla away for a walk and had not returned yet, so Salehe was hoping to finally have a good talk with Johari, without Kamaria circling around them like a hungry vulture.

They finally got together on the plain they used for practice, while Chiku remained well hidden between the tall grass, keeping an eye on them.

"It's been a while," Salehe greeted Johari with a heartfelt nuzzle, "How rusty do you feel?"

"Not as rusty as you are, that's for sure," she taunted.

Salehe gave her a grin, and continued head-butting the lioness and rubbing himself against her body, clearly happy to see her.

"Salehe, come on, you gotta concentrate..." Johari told him. While she felt special whenever he showered her with attention, she still had not fallen for him.

"But I've missed you. I'm in no rush to fight you just yet, especially not today, when you-know-who is not around."

Chiku yawned quietly from her hiding place, as the action-packed lesson she had expected to see became a boring talk between the two grown-ups, who were now discussing something in hushed tones that she could not understand. The cub was about to turn around and go home when she came face to face with the huge paw of Kamaria, who was suddenly blocking her way.

Chiku looked up and saw the leader of the Pride staring ahead intently for a moment, and then she looked down at her. "Chiku, will you do me a favor?"

Chiku nodded. "Yeah, sure..."

"Get a bit closer to them and see if you can hear what they're talking about, will you?"

Chiku frowned slightly. "My mom doesn't like it when I spy on others' conversations..."

"I know," Kamaria insisted, "But this time it's a direct order from your Leader. Will you disobey?"

The cub pondered for a few seconds and finally shook her head. She crawled back to where she had been hiding earlier and managed to get even closer than before, where she heard Salehe whispering softly at Johari.

"...can't stand it any longer... I know I should not feel this way but I can't help myself..." Salehe said.

"You're making things harder on yourself. You know I don't feel the same way about you. Why would you risk jeopardizing everything you have, for a lioness who does not love you in return? It's not worth it, Salehe. Try to think of me as disposable. One day an intruder will come, and I will face them, and who knows whether I'll make it out alive? Why throw away all the stability you have with your mate, in exchange for that?"

"But I really want to demote her and make you my-"

"No, you can't!" Johari interrupted, looking serious, "She hasn't given you a reason! Besides, the Pride does not look up to me the way they look up to her. She's the leader, and you cannot change that, Salehe. How many times do we have to go over this?"

Salehe took a deep breath, hating the thought that they would never be together. He finally smiled sadly at her and whispered, "I'll just keep trying, then... You never know, you may change your mind one day..."

Both lions remained silent as they began to warm up for their lesson, so Chiku retreated in search for Kamaria. She found her hiding between the grass too, so as not to be seen by Salehe and Johari.

"Well?" Kamaria asked the cub.

Chiku thought hard, trying to remember all she heard, "Something about... Um, about risking it all for love, and my mom was trying to persuade Salehe that she would not make a good leader, but Salehe said he'd keep trying until she changes her mind," she summarized bluntly, not realizing the seriousness of what she had just said.

"I see..." Kamaria replied, frowning deeply, feeling her blood boil with jealousy once again. She then turned around without another word and left Chiku all alone.

The cub shrugged, not understanding all this adult-business. She felt like going back home, but at that point she heard a few growls, announcing that her mother's lesson had just started. Chiku hurried back to her hiding spot and watched in awe how Johari stood her ground against Salehe. The cub tried not to blink so as not to miss anything. She flinched when she saw Salehe landing a powerful blow on Johari's face, but Johari shook it off quickly and regained her composure, ignoring the pain.

"Stop being defensive," Salehe growled, "try and attack me, come on!"

Johari jumped at him, and as she fought, Chiku could already recognize some of the moves she had been learning. Her mother's use of her claws was quite a sight. She was so quick that Salehe only knew he had been scratched until seconds later, when the stinging pain set in.

They began to grow tired, but none of them was ready to stop, they kept on going till late in the night, until Salehe accidentally tripped on his tired paws, and Johari pinned him down, taking advantage of his mistake.

Salehe looked up at the lioness standing on top of him. They were both panting heavily, looking into each other's eyes, satisfied about how the lesson had gone, but Johari was so tired that her legs gave up on her and she collapsed on top of him.

Salehe laughed and held her tight, embracing her with four paws. "You did great tonight," he whispered in her ear.

Chiku turned around and left at this point, amazed to see how good her mother really was when putting up a fight. As she headed back to the lair, the cub wondered if she would ever be as good, and for once, she felt that her lessons had a purpose and finally understood what her mother was trying to teach her. She felt more determined now, and while the adrenaline was still running through her little body, the lioness went in search of coconuts to slice up, and surprise her mother when she got home.

Johari in the meantime had caught her breath. She tried to get up, but Salehe only tightened his embrace, enjoying being so close to her.

The lioness looked at him. The way he was holding her and the look in his eyes were an indication that Salehe was in the mood for more than just fighting.

"You should go to Kamaria now... She can give you the relief you're after..." she whispered.

"I don't want Kamaria. I want you... Please, let me love you right now..." Salehe insisted.

Johari managed to wiggle out of his embrace and looked at him intently. A thought had just flashed across her mind. She had been trained to withstand pain from scratches, kicks, bites and powerful blows, but she wondered how well she could actually stand the pain resulting from mating outside her season. Johari knew her body would not translate the pain into pleasure this time, but she also knew that Ishara had to go through the same ordeal when the two rogues crossed her path. Chances were that they would attempt to do the same to her. Johari felt she had to know what to expect, just in case.

Salehe in the meantime had stood up and was nuzzling her constantly, awaiting eagerly for her to make up her mind. "Please say you will lie down before me, Johari... I'll be kind, I promise."

Johari looked at him, biting her lip for a moment. She thought he deserved to know the reason why she was actually agreeing to this.

"Okay... I'll let you go ahead, but only because I need to know what I'll be up against if the rogues manage to overpower me in this way. The fact that I consent to this doesn't mean that I love you or that I approve of your crazy idea of breaking up with Kamaria. Can you understand that?"

Salehe nodded understandingly and whispered, "I'll still be as gentle as I can. You can't expect that from a rogue, just keep that in mind..."

The lion led Johari to a more secluded spot, where he proceeded to express his love for her in a more physical manner, while Johari did her best to be strong. She was holding back tears, while fighting the urge to turn around and attempt to slice Salehe's face open. The lion kept his promise and he was extremely gentle and careful with her, in comparison to when they mated during her season, but it was still not something Johari would like to do again, not unless she loved the lion in question very, very much.

Johari could only think of her poor sister and how much pain she had to withstand, fueling her desire to get back at those rogues at all costs.

Once Salehe had found relief, he invited Johari to snuggle close to him.

"Come... I'll tend to you," he said, trying to comfort her, but Johari shook her head and left the area rather quickly without another word.

Salehe watched sadly as the lioness disappeared in the distance. He understood she wanted to be alone, and as much as he wanted to be with her, he didn't pursue her. He lay down on his side for a while, sighing deeply. While the needs of his body had been satisfied, his heart still longed and ached for her.

Johari kept walking without looking back, and she began to cry once she was sure she was on her own, feeling a bit overwhelmed. She kept thinking about Ishara, praying to her for strength and comfort.

When Johari finally calmed down and decided to return home, she looked around for Chiku, but the cub was not at the lair. She began searching for Chiku all over the place, and eventually found her in their practice area. The cub had fallen asleep amidst the remains of several coconuts that she had slashed open while Johari had been away.

Johari looked around, wondering what could have motivated the cub to go and practise on her own. She then stared at Chiku's bloodied and swollen paws. She licked them gently, making Chiku wake up for a moment.

"Look, mom... I opened all those..." she muttered while still sleep-drunk.

"I've seen that, you did a great job, sweetie. We'll give your little paws a rest tomorrow, sounds good?"

Chiku nodded and curled back into a ball, falling asleep once again. Johari decided to lie down next to her cub, instead of going back to the lair. She still wanted to be alone, and also to prevent the rest of the lionesses from finding out she had given in to Salehe's request. She had the feeling that they would not understand her reasons and her motivations.

* * *

Chiku continued to learn from her mother, but this time she was more determined than before. This reflected in how fast she began learning new techniques and moves. As soon as the lioness was old enough to begin her hunting training, Johari also began fighting with her.

Chiku's built finally began developing. Now that she was following both trainings, the muscles on her shoulders and legs had grown considerably, and Johari made sure to give her extra food whenever possible, to keep her healthy and strong.

Along with rippling muscles, came the scars that followed her intense training. Johari was not holding back with her the way Salehe had done at some point, and as a result, Chiku was always sporting fresh cuts and scratches. She tried to put a tough facade, telling everyone that it didn't hurt at all, but more often than not, Damisi would catch her nursing her wounds, sometimes with tears in her eyes.

Damisi and Chiku had become quite close friends. They preferred to go their own way as opposed to following Adla's lead every time, so they would often hang out together. They were now a bit too old for cub-games, but they quite enjoyed sitting together, grooming each other, catching up on the latest gossip, and just having a good laugh, usually at someone's expense.

The lionesses could tell whenever Damisi and Chiku were near, because their laughter was rather noisy and explosive, especially Damisi's, which was even confused for a hyena cry sometimes. They could be so loud that they even scared a herd of antelope away once, when they got a laughter attack while practising stalking.

While Chiku could laugh easily, the Pride also knew that she had a bit of a temper problem, and she could flare up quickly. The lioness had no problem speaking her mind either, and could be bluntly honest, especially when upset by something. This resulted in quite an explosive combination. But if the Pride ever wanted a honest opinion about something, they would go to Chiku for an answer, even if her answers weren't always pretty to hear.

All in all, she cared for her pride-mates, and everyone knew that Chiku would not hesitate to defend any one of them. Her hunting skills were rather good, even better than Gasira, Faiza and Etana's, so the lioness quickly climbed up in rank without even having to fight for it.

Johari hadn't found out yet that Kamaria knew about her conversation with Salehe, but since that night, Salehe had had very little time to dedicate to Johari. He kept going away with Faraji on patrol, and Kamaria would hog his attention as soon as he returned. So Johari focused her time on teaching Chiku instead.

Chiku and Damisi had gotten up rather early one morning. They couldn't fall asleep again, so they decided to go together for a quick trip to the lake.

The two lionesses walked quietly, inhaling the moist morning air, and shaking off the drew droplets that would cling to their pelts as they came in contact with a plant or bush.

"Mmmm. Would you look at that," Damisi said all of a sudden, when she noticed Hadithi was already at the lake.

Chiku laughed as loud as usual, attracting his attention. "Oops, sorry," she said in a hushed voice, while Damisi snarled playfully at her for ruining their cover.

"Well, he saw us now, might as well go talk to him..." Damisi said, as her heart raced slightly.

Chiku shook her head. "I'd better leave you alone then, don't want to be the third-"

"No! Don't leave me alone with him, come on, go with me!"

Chiku repressed a laugh and followed her friend quietly. Damisi had mentioned to her not long ago that she liked the way Hadithi looked, now that his mane was thicker and fuller. They had proceeded then to make fun of Faraji, who only had a small tuft that made him look rather dorky in comparison.

Hadithi was indeed reaching adulthood, and the younger lionesses appeared to be rather interested in him all of a sudden, and would try to initiate conversation with him, except for Bahiya, who was seen more often trailing after Faraji.

The lion enjoyed the extra attention, so he smiled when he saw Damisi and Chiku approaching.

"Morning," he greeted the lionesses, his voice now deeper and richer.

"Hi there! Lovely morning, isn't it?" Damisi replied a bit too quickly.

Hadithi simply gave her a smile that made Damisi feel as if her legs were made of rubber.

"How come you're up so early? Had troubles sleeping too?" Chiku asked him, clearly not as impressed by his charms as Damisi.

"Actually, I'm here to meet Adla, but I think she's late. You haven't seen her by any chance, have you?"

"Not since last night," Chiku said, looking at Damisi who appeared to be deflating slowly.

"Oh well," Hadithi said, as he lay down by the edge and stuck his paws in the water playfully, scaring some fish away, "I guess I'll keep waiting for a bit longer then."

"Damisi can keep you company in the meantime," Chiku said, trying to help her friend, but Damisi blushed and mouthed 'no' at her, shaking her head vigorously, but stopped herself when Hadithi turned to look at her.

The lion sized her up quickly, and replied, "I think that would be lovely."

Damisi giggled nervously and sat down next to him, while Chiku gave her a wink and decided to go drink from the waterhole at the hunting grounds instead.

Chiku was still a bit too young to understand what Damisi could see in Hadithi, although Johari had already explained everything to her about the additional role that males play: fathering cubs. So far, she still felt no attraction for either male in the Pride, and she didn't care much about cubs either.

As she pondered about that, she saw a golden shape running in the distance. Chiku stared for a while, until she realized it was Adla, running like crazy towards the lair.

Chiku decided to go meet her halfway, just to check if everything was okay.

"Come with me, quick! To the lair!" Adla told her the moment she saw her.

"The lair? But Hadithi's by the lake-"

"He'll have to wait," Adla interrupted, "Come on, hurry!"

They finally reached the lair, and Chiku expected Adla to go straight to Kamaria or Salehe, but instead she went to Johari's resting spot, and pawed her insistently to wake her up.

"Please, come with me, it's very important" she told the lioness, who was giving her a confused look.

Johari stood up quickly and followed the young lioness.

Adla walked a considerable distance to make sure they wouldn't be overheard.

"What's happening, sweetie? You're scaring me," Johari told her.

Adla looked around, and said in a hushed tone, "It's the two rogues. They're coming back."

Johari felt the blood in her body draining down to her legs.

"Huh? What rogues?" Chiku asked.

Adla frowned for a moment and asked Johari, "You never told her?"

"Never mind that right now," Johari said, "How can you be so sure it's them?"

Adla looked at the ground uneasily for a moment. "I... I might have gone ahead with a few of the tasks I was planning to do once I become leader..."

Adla and Johari sat down, looking intently at Adla as she spoke.

"I decided to make a network of contacts, to keep me updated of news going on outside of our territory, from passing herds as well as birds all over the place... One of my contacts had something very disturbing to report today."

"More disturbing than knowing that Ubaya and Kame are heading this way?" Johari exclaimed.

"Who are they?" Chiku insisted, but Johari hushed her.

"I'll explain later," she hissed, focusing her attention on Adla again.

Adla nodded gravely. "There's a reason why they are coming back. Somehow they found out that two lionesses of this Pride were training in combat to teach them a lesson. Not only that, they were also told that the two fighters would pass themselves as cub-sitters just to try and trick them. They rogues are in for the challenge, they said."

Johari gasped loudly. "But... How did that happen?"

Adla shrugged. "Either they have a spy of their own, or a member from the Pride told someone, and the news spread. I think that's more likely."

Johari looked at Adla intently. "Is that the reason why you haven't alerted the whole Pride? Do you think there might be a mole between us?"

"I personally can't see anyone in this Pride being a mole, especially not for those rogues," Adla replied reassuringly, "Most likely it was someone who let it slip without thinking about the consequences. Either way, you will have to change your tactics, but for your own safety, it should stay between you and Chiku only. Don't tell anyone else about your new plans. The good thing is that there are no cubs to protect this time, so if the rogues decide to attack, they will never encounter one or two lionesses alone. We'll always be in a group or hanging out nearby."

Johari nodded in agreement. "Any idea how far they are?"

"They're still very far. At the pace they're following now, my contact reckons it'll take them three to four full moons to get here. Is that enough time to come up with a new plan?"

Johari nodded. "More than enough, Adla. Don't worry, you can count on us, and thank you very much for letting me know. It means a lot to me. You are truly a leader at heart," Johari said, bowing at her in respect, acknowledging Adla as higher in rank, despite her young age.

Adla gave her a quick head-butt, accepting her submissive gesture. "I have to go now, but I will let you know if I hear more."

Johari and Chiku thanked her again, and waited until she had left before they engaged in a hushed conversation.

"Will you now explain to me what the hell is going on?" Chiku demanded.

Johari looked at her, torn between revealing the reason behind Johari's motivation to learn to fight, or keeping her daughter oblivious to it all. But since Chiku would be facing the rogues too, Johari felt she deserved to know the truth, so she knew what to expect as well.

"Come, let's take a walk, and I'll explain along the way."

Chiku walked next to her, as Johari headed in the direction of the river. She hadn't been there since the day Ishara died, afraid that the trip to that place would bring back the painful memories. It had been tough enough to hang around the acacias, so she had avoided the route to the river at all costs.

Today, as she was confronted with the whole ordeal all over again, as if no time had passed at all, Johari's nose blocked again, and the only thing she could smell was her sister's blood, and Kame and Ubaya's scent. She was not surprised. This happened a lot, especially when she came into contact with an animal's blood. That was one of the main reasons she was glad not to be involved in the hunt anymore, and she had lost all pleasure in eating. She ate because she had to keep strong, but she always held her breath and would quickly groom herself to get rid of any blood remnants on her face.

Johari began telling Chiku about Ubaya and Kame and their bad reputation, about her aunt Ishara, and the gruesome and painful way in which she died at their paws.

Chiku listened intently, interrupting softly every now and then as she cursed under her breath, while Johari described what Ishara had to endure.

Chiku knew she could get angry quite easily, but the rage she was experiencing at this moment was unlike any anger she had felt before. If those two rogues were standing before her at that very same moment, she wouldn't have hesitated in foolishly attacking them right there and then.

Johari became very silent once they reached the river bank. Chiku glanced up at her mother, and saw that her face was covered in tears. The young lioness had never been the comforting type, so she only stared into the water, while the information Johari just shared with her sank in.

"I hope you understand why I didn't tell you earlier. You were too young..." Johari muttered, sobbing slightly.

Chiku only nodded silently in reply.

Johari calmed down eventually, and faced Chiku, a serious look quickly replacing the sadness that had tainted her face since they made their way to the river.

"Listen carefully, Chiku. I had told Salehe and the rest that I wanted to learn to fight just to defend the lionesses and cubs in case someone invaded our territory once more. But it's never been my intention to allow these creeps to even get close to the Eyasi Pride again. My plan has always been to seek them out first, and make sure they pay for what they did, before they can harm anyone else in our Pride. And... Well, I was sort of hoping we could do this together."

Chiku turned to Johari, frowning deeply. "What are you telling me? That I'm part of your revenge scheme, and you were planning all along to take me with you? Is this the reason you were so keen on teaching me all this fighting stuff?"

Johari looked into her eyes, knowing it was no use to lie to her now. She nodded quietly. "No one else wanted to learn and fight along with me. I decided I would train you instead, and that's why I'm turning to you now. I was hoping that when the time would come, you would go with me and help me face them."

"What if I don't want to come with you?" Chiku said, looking away, clearly upset. She felt used by her own mother, and was unhappy about her lies concerning the reason for her training. This went far beyond defending the territory from intruders. Going away on a suicidal mission to seek two merciless murderers certainly didn't seem like the responsible nor the sane thing to do.

Johari didn't look away when she uttered, "Then I will probably die fighting them on my own, while trying to weaken them as much as I can. It will then be your job and Salehe's to finish them off by the time whatever's left of them reach the Eyasi territory."

Chiku cursed again softly, shaking her head. She began pacing back and forth, clearly torn between helping her mother, diving into certain death, and looking for her own well being.

Johari could see the turmoil in her daughter's face, and went on, hoping to persuade her, "You will have to face them sooner or later, Chiku... With or without me. But... You see, while I know I can cause them serious harm on my own, with an extra lioness on my side, we both actually stand a better chance. We can stand up to them and actually live to tell the tale."

"Mom, look at me!" Chiku screamed, but then lowered her voice again as she hissed, "I'm not an adult yet, I haven't even passed my hunting test, for crying out loud! How can I possibly face a grown male, let alone two? How can you be so nonchalant when you know you will be sacrificing my own life? And for what, for your dead sister? Well, I got news for you, mom. She's gone! Killing those two blokes -and myself in the process- won't bring her back!"

Johari became extremely upset when she heard Chiku's honest, but hurtful remark, and before she could stop herself, she slapped Chiku on the right cheek, silencing the lioness suddenly.

"Fine!" Johari snarled, "I'll do it on my own. You just sit on your bum and wait then! Just pray that they don't get to one of the other Pride-mates first!"

Johari turned around and walked away, while Chiku rubbed her cheek with a paw, staring at her mother with wide eyes. She had been stricken by Johari a hundred times before during their training, but it had never hurt her as much as this unexpected, heart-felt blow.

Chiku gathered her composure quickly and called, "Mom... Wait, please..."

The lioness stopped walking but she didn't look back. She simply twisted her ears in Chiku's direction.

"I'm sorry... I was out of line, I didn't mean to be disrespectful to you or your sister," Chiku told her sincerely, "It's just that... Can't you understand how I feel? I'm not going to lie to you, I'm scared!"

Johari then turned around and faced her again, drying a few tears away with a paw quickly. "You should be... Even I feel scared. That's why we're working on focusing our emotions into the fight... Chiku, you might be young, but you're strong and fast. Don't underestimate yourself. If I didn't think you were good at this, I would have never considered bringing you along. But even Salehe seems to think you have lots of potential. He's seen you fight me, you know."

Chiku stared down at her paws for a moment, looking indecisive.

Johari went on, as she nuzzled Chiku gently, making her look up again, "Don't think I am only doing this because of Ishara. Of course I know that no matter what I do, I will never see her again. But think of all the Prides that these guys have tormented. Think of all the lionesses that were broken and abused, and of all the cubs that perished at their paws. Wouldn't you like to put a stop to that and make a difference for our Pride, and many others?"

Chiku pondered for a moment, realizing that while their possible sacrifice would certainly not bring Ishara back, they would indeed contribute to the survival of other helpless lionesses and cubs, if they were to succeed. Chiku felt that it would be a very noble thing to do. She felt she could actually focus on that aspect of the mission, and leave the whole revenge-seeking part to her mother.

The young lioness looked into the horizon thoughtfully and whispered, "Do you really think I'd actually be ready to fight a male, by the time those two get near?"

"Yes, I do," Johari replied with conviction, "but we'll have to intensify your training. I'm afraid it will be tough and painful, but I know you can handle it. You're a very strong and fierce lioness, Chiku. I have faith in you."

Chiku looked at Johari for a moment, hoping she would not come to regret the next words that came out of her mouth, "Okay, I'll help... You won't have to face those two rogues on your own."

Johari gave her a sad smile, and rubbed gently with a paw the spot where she had stricken Chiku earlier. "I really appreciate this, Chiku... There's no time to lose, we need to get started with the training right away. Are you ready?"

Chiku gave her a stern nod. "Bring it on," she finally said.

Both lionesses returned to the lair in complete silence. They didn't waste any time and began practising immediately. Johari could only hope that her daughter wouldn't hate her, not only for exposing her to the Ubaya and Kame, but also for the extremely rough training she would have to endure.


	8. Friends and Lovers

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 8: Friends and Lovers**

Several herds of grazing animals looked up in surprise when they heard the distant roaring of the Eyasi Pride. The lions sounded quite excited, and the herds knew the reason why; they were wishing good luck to the young lionesses, who were about to embark in their First Hunt. Impalas, zebras and Thomson gazelles looked uneasily at each other, and remained on the lookout, twitching their ears and tails nervously.

Adla, Bahiya and Damisi headed in three different directions, while the rest of the Pride stayed behind by the lair. Chiku still had to wait a bit longer before she could have her first hunt, as she hadn't taken her hunting test yet. Since Johari was dedicating more time to fighting lately, Chiku's hunting lessons were lagging behind slightly.

As soon as the huntresses disappeared from view, Johari took Chiku away to keep on training.

Salehe had already done his rounds earlier that day. He had the intention to go and supervise today's fighting lesson, but Kamaria insisted that his place was at the lair, to welcome the huntresses back so that they could present their catch to him.

Salehe was getting more and more tired of Kamaria lately. She kept bossing him around and he just didn't feel like being with her at all. Sometimes he even took longer routes to patrol his borders just to avoid her. His patience was running thin, he missed Johari terribly, and he just felt quite unhappy at the moment.

"The huntresses won't be back for a while," he said softly, trying not to snarl at her, "I will be back soon, I promise."

"Yeah, we'll see about that," Kamaria mumbled, and walked away looking displeased.

Salehe shook his head and ignored her, wondering whether she had always been this unpleasant, and he just hadn't noticed it before.

The lion watched Johari and Chiku from a distance, admiring how far both of them had come. Seeing two lionesses fight like this was quite a sight, especially when Chiku managed to read her mother's moves well and block them effectively. But Salehe could tell that today the lesson was not going as Johari expected.

"Concentrate, Chiku!" Johari snarled, "It's the third time you miss that move, you cannot afford that on a real fight! Let's try that again and you better get it right this time!"

Salehe listened to Johari and chuckled to himself. He had once pushed her like that too, to make her angry and get the response he was looking for.

The lion suddenly remembered how Adla had approached him one day, feeling very concerned for the way Johari treated Chiku. She had overheard a similar lesson and felt that Johari might be taking things a little too far. Adla was not the only one who was worried; he had also heard the lionesses talking about what a horrible mother Johari turned out to be, labeling her as too strict and controlling. They complained about how little social skills she passed on to Chiku; the young lioness would only groom Damisi, and would walk away if anyone else but Damisi or Johari attempted to groom her.

Since Johari herself had not really groomed anyone else since the days she was helping Tisha out with her flea problem, they blamed Chiku's lack of socialization on her.

Salehe knew they were right in a way, but he knew Johari and Chiku shared a different kind of bond, both between themselves, as well as with the Pride. They were just not the tender type, and they would probably make horrible cub-sitters, but he knew that one day the lionesses would be thankful to them and would finally appreciate all the hard work they had been putting into these lessons.

Salehe got snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Johari scolding Chiku again.

"No, no, a thousand times no! What's wrong with you today?"

Chiku paced to and fro, clearly upset as well. "I'm thinking about Damisi and her fist hunt, and how I couldn't go with them this time-"

"That's not important right now, you have to pay attention to this! Get your guard up, come on!"

But Chiku was not feeling motivated enough, and she was too slow in dodging Johari's paw, who scratched her on her flank.

The young lioness winced and tried to look at the wound, but Johari didn't give her time and pounced on her instead. "Ignore the wounds, how many times do I have to tell you this?" she snarled, pinning Chiku to the ground.

Chiku had no time to reply, when all of a sudden, a golden blur jumped at her mother, knocking her aside. Chiku stood up quickly as the adrenaline began to course through her body. It took her a few seconds to realize it had been Salehe who tackled Johari down unexpectedly.

"Just what in the world are you doing?" Johari snarled as she struggled to free herself, but Salehe kept a firm grip on her.

The lion looked at Chiku, and he could tell he had all her attention now. The thoughts of Damisi and her first hunt were now a distant memory.

"Think, Chiku, how would you react to this? What can you do to free your mother from this compromising position?"

Chiku stared at Salehe, noticing for the first time just how big he was. She looked quite startled and didn't know how to react.

"Time's precious, Chiku, don't waste it. Think now!" he insisted, pressing his paw to Johari's neck, silencing the protesting lioness for a moment.

Chiku heard her mother's choked voice, and finally snapped out of her shock. She walked behind Salehe quickly and nipped at his hind legs while holding on to his back with her paws, trying to throw him off balance.

Salehe turned around to swipe a paw at her, and Chiku caught it successfully in her mouth, applying some pressure with her jaws, but not enough to hurt Salehe for real.

The lion tripped slightly, which gave Johari the chance to escape his firm grasp and get into combat stance once again.

Both lionesses stared at Salehe, panting heavily. The lion simply grinned back at them. "That was a good move, but you will have to hurry. Once someone has a lioness down like that, you have a couple of seconds to do something before he bites on her throat."

Johari was about to say something, when Chiku decided she would put her skills to the test, and launched a full attack on Salehe. She was confident he wouldn't hurt her lethally, and she was dying to see how far her learning would take her against a full, grown male.

Salehe reacted on time and dodged Chiku's initial attack, and began retaliating. He kept giving her advice as she fought, correcting her posture, and trying to encourage her to give her best.

Chiku felt very self confident for a moment, until Salehe ordered Johari to join in and fight against her daughter too.

The young lioness had never fought two lions at a time, so her concentration was thrown off for just a moment, enough for Salehe to hit her on the face with force. Chiku was used to this, so she recovered her composure quickly, but Salehe was a lot stronger than Johari, and his blow made her feel a bit dizzy.

Salehe took advantage of this small moment of weakness and pinned Chiku to the ground. He bit softly on her throat, holding her down with his paws, and then muttered, "Game over."

Chiku kicked gently with her hind paws, and Salehe released his grip on her. He stood up and assessed his wounds, looking surprised at how many scratches Chiku had just given him in such a short time.

They continued practising together, while Salehe taught Chiku and Johari how to handle a fight with two foes. They took turns to fight each other, going at it full force, until Faiza came to notify them that one of the huntresses had already returned. Salehe bid the two lionesses good-bye, and returned to the lair in better spirits than before. Chiku and Johari stayed behind to practise some more.

Kamaria looked at Salehe with disgust when he returned, covered in dust, grass, and bloody scratches, but she didn't say anything to him in front of the rest of the lionesses.

* * *

It came as no surprise to anybody when Adla was the one to return first from the hunt, carrying in her muzzle the body of a small gazelle. The Pride congratulated her, and once Salehe had approved of her catch, they sat down to wait for the rest, while Adla began retelling how her first hunt had gone.

Bahiya was the second one to return, dragging with her the body of an impala who had gotten stuck in a muddy lake while trying to run away from her.

Damisi took a longer time to return. It was almost nightfall by the time she finally showed up back at the lair, but she managed to bring down a young wildebeest who had strayed from his herd.

As Salehe congratulated them, Damisi looked around, searching for Chiku. She saw Johari, looking battered as usual, but her friend was nowhere to be found.

The three huntresses agreed on sharing their First Hunt with everyone, so the Pride began eating once Salehe had had his fill. Damisi watched Johari as she ate.

As usual, Johari gobbled up as much food as she could in just a couple of minutes, and then retreated to groom herself frantically.

After Damisi was done eating, she questioned Johari about Chiku's whereabouts, and not long after, Damisi headed to the lake, carrying a wildebeest haunch in her mouth.

Damisi found Chiku lying down by the lake, resting on her side. She dropped the haunch on the grass, feeling happy and proud to be able to share her first catch with her.

"I kinda missed my best friend back there, when everyone welcomed me home," Damisi said out loud, announcing her arrival.

Chiku did not respond, she appeared to be fast asleep, with one of her paws covering up her face.

Damisi frowned for a moment and got closer. It appeared as if her friend was even more battered than Johari, and as she pushed Chiku's paw away with her nose, she could see that her face was extremely bruised and swollen from the amount of blows she had received to the face.

Damisi felt tears springing to her eyes, as she looked intently at the results of today's lesson. She sat down next to Chiku, trying not to disturb her slumber. She knew her friend needed as much rest as she could get.

Chiku had already confided in her, telling Damisi that the main reason she was learning to fight was to go meet the rogues that had killed Ishara.

"You'll have to be careful... If those rogues won't kill you, your own mother will," she whispered, fighting the urge to try and nurse Chiku's wounds.

Damisi gave a small lick to a nasty looking wound on her shoulder, but Chiku did not respond at all. She was exhausted. Damisi proceeded to tend to her wounds gently, feeling quite angry at Johari for dragging her friend into this.

Damisi became even angrier days later, when she heard from Chiku that she had also been fighting against Salehe since recently. Chiku was a wreck, always bleeding, limping, and with no strength left to dedicate to her hunting lessons. Chiku found comfort in the fact that it would all be over soon. Either they kill the rogues, or the rogues kill her. Regardless of the outcome, she would find relief from the pain, which was too much to ignore sometimes. Johari had warned her it would be tough, and Chiku did her best to withstand it, but Damisi could see right through her, and she could tell that Chiku was having a terrible time and felt quite resentful towards her mother at times.

During one of those rare days where Chiku was not being pummeled by Salehe or Johari, the younger lions decided to sit together under the shade of the trees. The hunting party had brought in enough food the night before, so everyone was enjoying their day off.

Damisi had persuaded Chiku to join them, hoping they could distract her for a short while. Chiku listened idly as Adla and Bahiya retold stories about funny events that occurred during their cubhood, while Faraji and Hadithi laughed along.

After a brief moment of silence, Hadithi sighed loudly and said for everyone to hear, "I'm really going to miss you all guys, when I leave."

Chiku perked her ears and looked at Damisi discretely, who went very quiet and kept staring down, as if the grass leaves became extremely interesting all of a sudden.

It was no secret that Hadithi would have to leave the Pride when he grew up. But Chiku also knew her friend still had a crush on Hadithi, even if he had never taken her seriously. The truth was that Hadithi was a big flirt, even with the older lionesses. He was very charming and always had something nice to say, but with Damisi, it never went further than that.

"We'll miss you too," Faraji added, "But I am quite sure you can come and visit. Father won't mind, and neither will I, when I take his place. You keep that in mind, huh?"

Both lions head-butted each other affectionately, and it was then when Chiku noticed, just for a brief moment, a look of sadness in Adla's face.

"I won't make a fuss either, but make sure to bring me a gift from afar," Adla told Hadithi, trying to head-butt him too, but Chiku didn't fail to notice that Hadithi took a slight step back and kept a bit of distance. She wondered if Damisi noticed too, but she was still staring at the ground.

Adla looked away for a moment, unable to conceal her disappointment, but she regained her composure quite quickly, and turned to look at the horizon, looking thoughtful. Faraji was still talking to Hadithi about what the future would bring for the both of them, and Bahiya, who up until then had been smiling all the time, kept looking at Adla every now and then, as if worried about her.

"Hey," Chiku whispered very softly to Damisi, "Do you also feel some sorta tension around them?"

Damisi finally looked up and looked at the rest. The two males were still chatting away as if nothing had happened, while Bahiya sat down closer to Adla, nuzzling her out of the blue reassuringly.

"Yeah. But it's obvious, ain't it?" Damisi whispered back, "Hadithi is the only thing Adla can't have, so, of course, she's totally obsessing over him."

Chiku tried to stifle a chuckle, but instead, a very loud snort came through her nose. The loud, unexpected noise was enough to make herself burst into her usual, rambunctious laughter, attracting the attention of the rest of the lions.

Bahiya and Adla watched with raised eyebrows as Damisi and Chiku looked at each other and could not control themselves and began laughing together.

"Care to share the joke with us?" Faraji exclaimed loudly to be heard over Damisi's loud cackling, looking slightly annoyed.

"Didn't you hear that? She snorted!"

Seeing that Faraji was still staring seriously at her, Damisi added, "Um... Never mind, I guess I'm just easily amused..." while tears ran down her face, making Chiku laugh even more.

"I'm sorry, but I don't consider the subject of Hadithi's departure a laughing matter," Adla said firmly.

"Yeah, I bet _you _don't..." Chiku said between laughs, making Damisi laugh even more.

Bahiya rolled her eyes, shaking her head and smiling slightly. Once those two got started, there was no stopping them. However, she was glad to see Chiku laughing again for a change. It had been forever since her laughter had been heard around the lair.

Adla, however, was not amused by that remark. She thought she had been very discrete about her feelings towards Hadithi, so Chiku's comment made her very uneasy. She was the only lioness who managed to get Adla worked up sometimes. While Adla could usually keep her temper around her, today, for some unknown reason, Adla was having a lot of trouble in keeping her anger in check. She blamed it on the fact that she hated the idea of Hadithi leaving soon.

"That's enough, Chiku," Adla warned her, frowning deeply, glancing nervously between the laughing lionesses and the lions.

Hadithi looked at Adla sternly for a moment. She shrugged discretely at him, looking clueless, but Hadithi quickly turned to Faraji again and said, "Now that I think about it, I don't think I will miss the sound of their noisy laughter all that much..."

Faraji grinned and stood up. "Let's go for a drink, maybe by the time we come back they're done laughing already."

The two lions walked away, leaving the lionesses behind, while Chiku and Damisi tried to calm down.

"What did you mean by that?" Adla asked once Chiku was able to breathe and speak normally again.

Chiku shrugged as she let out a deep sigh. "Oh, you now me. I'm just messing around a bit with Damisi..."

"Well, in case you didn't notice, you offended Hadithi with your indifference to him leaving!"

"Hadithi has never really cared about what I do or say, Adla. We barely hung out together, so it's not like he's crushed by my untimely laughter attack. Besides, he wasn't really angry, you know. They just went for a drink and they'll be back soon. Chill out a bit."

"Well, I think Hadithi looked very-"

Chiku interrupted Adla by blurting out, "Oh, man, will you stop fretting about Hadithi already? Why are you so worked up about him leaving anyway? It's not like you're betrothed to him or anything. Or is _that_ the problem?"

Bahiya and Damisi, while already used to these sort of remarks from Chiku, both fell very silent, feeling that Chiku had crossed the line. They turned to look at Adla to see how she would handle Chiku this time.

But it was then when Adla finally lost her temper, and without being able to hold back, she yelled at Chiku, "Why don't you go get yourself killed by those rogues already, and just leave me alone?" The lioness then turned around and ran away from them.

The three lionesses gasped in unison. They watched Adla go, not expecting such a remark from her at all. Even Chiku looked dumbstruck, and if there still had been any trace of a smile in her face, it disappeared quite quickly after she heard those words.

"I'd better go talk to her," Bahiya said, but Chiku held up a paw to stop her.

"No. This just became personal. I'll do the talking this time," Chiku said. She didn't look angry or upset, she appeared more worried than anything else.

Before Bahiya or Damisi could say anything, Chiku darted off in the same direction, running as fast as her legs could carry her.

Damisi eyed Bahiya quietly, and went to sit by her side. "Um... Shall we just wait here then?"

Bahiya nodded in agreement. "Yeah... Wow, Adla was really harsh this time, I've never heard her saying anything like that before. I wonder what she meant by that... What rogues?"

"I have no idea," Damisi lied, "Probably something to do with her fighting lessons or something."

Both lionesses remained quiet after that, and waited patiently for either the males or the two lionesses to return.

* * *

"Adla, wait up!" Chiku called as she chased after the upset lioness.

When Adla finally got tired and out of breath, she turned around and saw Chiku heading towards her.

"Please, go away, I beg you," Adla said, her voice breaking up slightly.

Chiku shook her head and stood by her side. "No... Not after what you said back there... It's as if you knew about my mother's plans... Did she actually talk to you about it?"

Adla threw a paw in the air, looking angry and exasperated. "She had to tell me, whether she wanted to or not! She needs my assistance," she explained through gritted teeth, "I'll have to inform her as soon as the rogues cross the canyon up north. When that happens, she will leave with you to meet them halfway, rather than having the confrontation here."

Chiku shook her head slightly, letting out a deep sigh. "Funny how you're better informed about this whole thing than I am..."

Adla remained silent, slashing at the grass repeatedly as she tried to let out her frustration. She calmed down after a minute or two, and finally turned to Chiku, looking apologetic.

"I didn't mean a thing I said..." she whispered sincerely, "I really don't want you to go and get hurt, much less killed. Please forgive me... I don't know what got into me..."

Chiku gave her a small smile. "I suppose I touched a nerve, hmm? I take it you're not happy about having to marry Faraji?"

"That's really none of your business, Chiku, please drop it," Adla said more firmly, "Could you just go back to the lair now? I really want to be alone..."

Chiku tilted her head for a moment. "I'm not sure... You're acting kinda strange all of a sudden... You're not feeling sick or anything, are you?"

"Strange? What are you talking about?" Adla snapped.

"Um... Well, you're kind of all over the place today. You're acting all snappy, and you're being rude at me for a change, and just now you're getting all teary eyed as I say this- Oh... Oh!"

Chiku interrupted herself, staring with wide eyes at Adla, and at the same moment Adla seemed to have come to the same realization. She was in season.

"Oh, no..." Adla whispered, looking slightly panicked. "Tell me... Do I smell any different to you?"

Chiku approached Adla and sniffed her neck for a moment. There was something strange to Adla's usual scent, a slight variation that Chiku and the other lionesses would barely detect, but that by nightfall it would be driving Salehe, Hadithi and Faraji completely crazy.

Chiku nodded at Adla, understanding now why she was experiencing terrible mood swings that were hard to control. She was not sure what to say under these circumstances, so Chiku blurted out, "Um... Er... Congratulations on reaching adulthood, I guess..."

Adla paced back and forth for a moment, and faced Chiku. "I'll have to go hide. Please, no matter what, don't let Faraji find out..."

Chiku raised an eyebrow. "But... You two are betrothed... You mean... You won't seal your bond with him?"

Adla shook her head. "I know I should, because it's what's expected of me... But I'm not ready for this... Just the thought of lying before him makes me want to throw up..."

Chiku bit her lip for a moment and whispered, "How about Hadithi? Would you like me to tell him instead?"

Adla looked at her intently, and nodded briefly, finally exposing clearly her feelings for him. "You won't tell anyone else, will you? You promise? Not even Damisi?"

Chiku smiled at her. "Well, well, if it isn't Perfect Adla breaking the rules and being bad for a change... I kinda like this Naughty Adla better!"

"I'm serious, Chiku, promise me!" Adla said, not able to conceal a small smile.

"You can trust me," Chiku replied, "So where do you want to meet him?"

"The place with the log, he'll know what I mean," Adla said, looking nervous.

Chiku nodded. She wished Adla good luck and returned back to the acacias. Faraji and Hadithi had returned from the lake in the meantime, and Bahiya and Damisi were still by their side, talking animatedly. They all looked up with curiosity when they saw Chiku heading towards them.

"I already filled Faraji and Hadithi in on what happened... Did you manage to talk to her?" Bahiya asked.

Chiku nodded as she propped herself between Hadithi and Damisi, resting her body close to his, as if by accident. Hadithi didn't seem to mind the closeness, because he did not move or retreat, like he had done when Adla tried to head-butt him.

"Yeah, we're kinda okay now. She's not coming back here though, she said she had some other things to attend to. No idea what things, I had the feeling she was just making things up to have an excuse not to hang around me for a while..."

"That's so not like her. She's always so friendly and patient... Maybe I should go look for her and see if she's doing okay..." Faraji said, staring thoughtfully into the horizon.

"It really looked like she wanted to be left alone. Surely you can respect her wish?" Chiku said.

Faraji still looked indecisive, but in the end he decided to listen to Chiku instead. "Fine, I'll talk to her when she comes back... Anyway, I think I'll be heading back to the lair now, looks like it might rain soon..." he said, looking up at the dark clouds rumbling above them.

"Yeah, I'll go with you," Bahiya said, standing up so quickly that she tripped on one of her paws and collided against Faraji. The two of them laughed as Faraji gently helped her up.

While Damisi was distracted making fun of Bahiya's clumsiness, Chiku began rubbing Hadithi's flank sneakily with her own tail. She still didn't feel attracted to him, but Chiku was hoping to spark his interest anyway, so that they could be alone just long enough for her to pass on Adla's message. She smiled to herself when she felt Hadithi's tail brushing over her own hind legs in response.

Damisi stood up and turned to Chiku. "You guys coming to the lair too?"

"In a while... I'll rest my paws a bit. Besides, I don't run away from rain like you scaredy cats do," she replied, giving her a wink.

"And I think I might go for a walk or something," was Hadithi's reply, knowing very well that Damisi would be too shy to offer to accompany him.

"Okay, see you guys in a bit then!" she replied, and walked away, oblivious to what Chiku and Hadithi had been doing earlier.

As Chiku watched her leave, she could already feel Hadithi had started to scent her, sniffing her neck and shoulders.

"Back off, lover boy," Chiku said out of the corner of her mouth.

Hadithi assumed she wanted total privacy and waited until Damisi was out of view to continue his exploration of Chiku's neck. He licked her gently and nipped at her nape, looking slightly confused.

"I may not be an expert on the matter," he finally said, "But... I don't think you're in season yet."

"And I won't be for at least three more moons, buddy."

Hadithi's eyes widened just as he realized how young Chiku actually was. He stood up quickly, feeling grossed out at himself, and tried to hide the fact that he had already been imagining a wild night with a lioness, and his body had reacted to those thoughts. He sat down on his belly far away from Chiku and mumbled, "Then why were you- Your tail, it was all over me, I felt it!"

"I'm sorry... I just needed to be alone with you for a moment, so I could give you a message."

Hadithi looked at her with curiosity, while still feeling angry at her for having led him on, and also quite embarrassed at having gotten carried away.

"Adla's the one who is in season. She wants you to meet her at the place by the log, or something," she went on.

Hadithi's embarrassment was quickly replaced by anger. "She told you that? She actually told you to come and get me, to be with her during her _first _season?"

"Well, I sorta deduced she kind of liked you, so I offered to come and alert you," Chiku explained, "I promised her I wouldn't say a thing to anyone else, and I make the same promise to you now. Your secret is safe with-"

"There is no secret and she knows it! I've told her a thousand times. She is to be Faraji's mate, and I could never betray my best friend's trust," he snarled, "So you go back to her and tell her that I'm not coming! In the meantime I will go warn Faraji at once!"

Chiku looked taken aback. "Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. First of all, this sounds like something you two guys should sort out, without me sending messages while caught in the middle. Second, I can't go and tell her anything, because I have no idea where this _place with the log _is, or whatever that means to you both. Third..." she paused to let out a deep sigh, "She really does not want Faraji to find out. That's the first thing she asked of me. She is not ready for him. If you don't want to mate with her, that's fine and dandy, but please, go tell her yourself, and don't alert Faraji..."

Hadithi paced to and fro, looking rather upset. "Fine... I trust you really won't tell anyone about all this mess."

Chiku nodded. "Told you already, I promise."

Hadithi was completely sure Chiku would run straight to Damisi to tell her everything, but the lion said nothing more and left in search of Adla.

Chiku went back to the lair, and while she was bursting to tell Damisi everything she learned and heard today, the lioness was true to her word and kept Adla's secret to herself.

She couldn't help but wonder if Hadithi would still give in to Adla's request, after all, she had heard that a female in season was hard to resist, but Hadithi actually returned to the lair shortly after. He went straight to lie down on his favorite niche. As he walked by in front of Chiku, she could tell that Adla's scent was not on him at all. He couldn't have washed himself by the lake either, as he had not been gone for long and his pelt and mane were completely dry.

Chiku could only assume that Adla would be spending her first season alone, and even though she hated the fact that Adla always got her way, Chiku could not help but feeling sorry for her tonight.


	9. Suspicions

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 9: Suspicions**

Adla had already returned to the Pride after a few days of absence. No one questioned her reasons, as Hadithi had led everyone to believe that she was feeling ill from her stomach, and had requested to be left alone.

Instead, they welcomed her back home warmly, wishing her a speedy recovery. Adla didn't seem to be surprised by this. While Hadithi had indeed refused to mate with her, he had also agreed to keep her secret, and not tell Faraji about it. Adla was aware that Hadithi would have to make something up to cover up for her. The lioness simply thanked her Pride-mates, assuring them that she felt a lot better already.

Chiku only glanced at her discretely, and Adla gave her a sincere smile. She was extremely grateful for what Chiku had done for her, and Adla's appreciation for her grew tremendously. Despite Chiku's fiery tempter, Adla now knew for sure that she could certainly count on Chiku in her time of need.

In the weeks to come, Johari, Salehe and Chiku continued practising together whenever he had the time, and as Chiku's skills improved, so did her health and overall well-being. Her face was no longer swollen and bruised, not often at least, and she seemed to be coping a lot better with her wounds. Johari was extremely proud of her, but she continued to intensify the training every day.

But one day, as Johari shouted instructions to Chiku while they fought each other under the searing heat of the midday sun, their lesson was interrupted abruptly, causing them to crash painfully into each other in mid-pounce.

Adla had startled the two fighters when she suddenly ran into their arena, carrying a big piece of meat that was left over from the last catch. She dropped it on the ground and told them with urgency, "Johari, Chiku... I have bad news. I just heard from one of my contacts that Ubaya and Kame have already emerged from the Northern Canyon."

Johari's eyes opened wide. "Already? How? Did they _fly _all the way there? I thought we'd still have one full moon to go, if not more! Are you sure they're not two different lions?"

Adla shrugged, looking as confused as the two of them. "My contact was pretty sure it was them... I suppose Kame's pale pelt is not hard to miss."

Chiku looked at Adla, and then at her mother, muttering, "Well, let's go get them, then..."

Johari shook her head, looking slightly helpless for a moment. "You're not ready. Your skills are great, your speed is excellent, but you still can't focus your emotions all the time. I'm afraid that this could be a huge disadvantage for you. Maybe it's better if you stayed behind..."

"Oh, no, no, no. I didn't go through all that messed up training of yours just to stay at home. I said I'd face them together with you, and that's what I'll do. You will just have to have some faith in me and believe I will do my best out there," Chiku said firmly.

Adla had to admire Chiku's bravery; she would hate to be in her position right now.

"Will you be leaving today then?" Adla asked them.

"Yes... We leave right away, actually. If the Pride asks, you can just tell them that we seem to have come into season together, so we will be staying away for a few days."

"Are you sure you don't want me to alert Salehe? We could all go together and help out-"

"We've been through this, Adla," Johari said sternly, "I don't want to risk any more lives than necessary, and Salehe needs to stay here to protect the rest of you in case we fail. If we are not able to kill them, then you and Salehe can proceed to do with them as you deem fit."

Adla sighed as she nodded, and looked at Chiku, who was trying hard to keep a calm face.

"Well... I guess this is it then..." Adla said, "All I can do now is wish you two the best of luck."

Chiku locked eyes with Adla for a moment, and whispered, "If I don't make it back, can you please tell Damisi she's the best, that she's been like a sister to me, and that I love her very much?"

Adla smiled and nodded. She had thought she'd never see the day in which Chiku would express herself in such a tender way about someone. "Even better," she replied, "when you come back, you will tell her yourself. I'm sure she'll appreciate it a lot more to hear it from you."

Chiku took a step forward and nuzzled Adla respectfully, bowing at her for the first time in her whole life, finally acknowledging her higher rank in the process. "Sorry for being such a jerk towards you sometimes..."

Adla felt a knot forming on her throat but nuzzled her back and managed to say, "Stop talking as if you're not coming back. C'mon, keep the spirits up, Chiku... We're rooting for you both."

Johari watched them, glad that they were able to put aside their differences in a moment like this. She then took a deep breath, and looked around her fighting arena one last time.

"So... This is it, then, the moment of truth... I refuse to say farewell, so instead I'll say, see you again in a few days," Johari said, and she gave Adla a gentle, sincere nuzzle.

"Here, eat this before you leave," Adla said, pushing towards them the meat she had brought with her, "You'll need the energy for the trip. In the meantime, I'll return to the lair, and I'll keep my ears pricked for any information my contacts can provide me... Well, good luck and stay safe!"

The two lionesses thanked Adla and began devouring the meat as fast as they could, while Adla turned around and headed home, whispering a soft, heart-felt prayer for them.

By nightfall, the lionesses had already started to wonder whether Chiku and Johari were still having a go at each other, so Adla announced, as agreed with Johari, that they were both in season and would not come home for a few days.

All lionesses nodded understandingly, except Damisi, who was sporting a huge frown.

"I can imagine. Those two are so focused on their lessons and what not, that they probably don't see any cubs in their immediate future," Kamaria said as she stretched herself lazily, looking rather content for a change.

Salehe excused himself not shortly after, looking upset about not being able to be with Johari during her season. He set off to see if he could find her, not knowing that the center of his affection was already miles away.

In the meantime, while the lionesses began discussing the subject of future cubs in the Pride, Damisi approached Adla and tapped her gently on the shoulder.

Adla turned to look at her, trying to keep a straight face. "Yes?"

Damisi looked around, but no one was paying any attention to the two of them, so she bent over to whisper in Adla's ear, "Chiku can't be in season... I'm older than her, and I've only had mine a few days ago. They've finally left to face the two rogues, haven't they?"

Adla stood up and nuzzled Damisi gently. "Yes... They left around noon."

Damisi looked down at the ground, as her vision became blurred with her own tears.

"We knew this day would come sooner or later, Damisi... Let's pray they will return safe and sound, that's the best we can do..."

Seeing that Damisi was about to burst into sobs, Adla invited her for a walk, so that she could let her sadness out in private.

"Her mother's using her, Adla... She doesn't care if Chiku gets hurt, all she cares is about those damn rogues!" Damisi finally exclaimed out loud once they were far away from prying ears.

"Don't be so tough on Johari... She actually offered Chiku the option to stay, but it was Chiku who insisted on going along. They're both strong and fierce, and very intelligent. They will outsmart those two rogues, you'll see... They'll be back soon," Adla replied, trying to comfort her.

Damisi nodded, hoping that Adla would be right, like always. But when days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, Damisi had lost all hope of seeing her dear friend ever again.

* * *

Salehe had been so devastated by Johari's disappearance, that Faraji even had to take over some of his duties, since Salehe spent most of his time lying down and sleeping, whenever he was not looking for her.

Kamaria was acting as sweet as honey, trying to kick her mate back into gear again, but Salehe could not care less. He even refused to assist Gasira during her season, telling her to go to Faraji instead, and that he approved of her mating with him even if Faraji hadn't sealed his bond with Adla yet.

Gasira had not felt very comfortable with this arrangement, since Faraji was still too young, for her taste. So with Faraji's permission, she went to spend her season with Hadithi instead.

As such, Faraji slowly began assuming the care of the Pride. Even at his young age, he was very kind and intelligent, and the lionesses had no doubt that he would make a decent leader, if Salehe ever decided to step down and leave the Pride to go in search of Johari.

It was clear to all of them now that Salehe had feelings for her, and the lionesses couldn't help but gossip about the situation sometimes. This made Kamaria very upset, but she was concentrating all her energy in making Salehe see that she was the one for him.

In the meantime, Adla's multiple contacts had been unable to locate Johari and Chiku around the area, whether alive or dead. The buzzards reported that they had found all sorts of carrion, but there were no lion bodies. And what was more confusing to Adla was that no one had seen any signs of the rogues at all either. It was as if the four lions had banished into thin air. If there had been a confrontation, surely they would have left behind traces of the battle. But there was no evidence to be found.

Out of desperation, Adla asked Liwe, a Marabou stork, for assistance. She asked her to embark on a distant flight and ask around if anyone else had seen or heard from the lionesses.

Liwe accepted to help, knowing how much pain those rogues had caused everyone. She wanted them gone too.

The lioness kept scouting the sky every day, even weeks later after she had asked Liwe for help, but the stork was nowhere to be seen.

One morning, just a bit after sunrise, the Pride had gathered together by the southern border of the Eyasi territory. The reason for this meeting was to wish farewell to Hadithi, who would finally leave them to go in search of a Pride of his own.

Since Gasira was expecting his cub, he had invited her to come along, but Gasira politely refused and decided to stay, feeling much more attached to her Pride-mates than to Hadithi. He was very understanding, and wished her good luck with motherhood.

"Well, thanks for everything then. I hope we'll meet again sometime," Hadithi said sincerely, and began nuzzling everyone good-bye.

He finally reached Adla, who was looking at him with tears in her eyes. He nuzzled her briefly and whispered for only her to hear, "Sorry it was not meant to be, kiddo. If only you hadn't been my best friend's mate, I would have been all over you, you know that."

"I'll miss you," Adla replied, burying her nose in his mane and taking in his scent one last time.

"I'll miss you too, beautiful. I sincerely hope you get to find happiness by Faraji's side."

They finally parted and Adla dried her face quickly with a paw. She looked around and noticed with relief that she was not the only one who was crying at this point.

Hadithi finally nuzzled Salehe and Faraji, and with that, he let out a very loud roar, announcing the beginning of his journey.

The Pride roared at him in return, wishing him good luck and yelling for him to take care and come visit. Once Hadithi could no longer be seen amidst the tall grasses and bushes, the Pride returned to the lair.

Adla's heart stopped for a beat and she was forced to forget about her heartache for a moment, when she noticed Liwe standing on one of the rocks, waiting for her, looking very eager.

The lioness was about to welcome her back, but Liwe put a feather to her beak to hush her. "Not here," she said curtly.

Adla looked around nonchalantly. The lionesses were huddling together, talking about Hadithi and how fast he had grown. Everyone was distracted; Tisha was looking sadly at Kamaria, who was once again trying to spark some life into Salehe, and Bahiya was grooming Damisi. Faiza and Etana were talking to Gasira about her future cub, so nobody noticed when Adla sneaked away on her own. Liwe followed discretely.

They finally reached the Abandoned Cave, where she knew there was little chance of being overheard as long as they were facing the entrance of the cave.

"Why did we have to come here? What's going on?" Adla finally dared to ask.

Liwe looked around to make sure they were on their own, and told her, "There's something really strange going on, I can't make any sense of it, I thought it would be better to talk in private."

Adla sat on her haunches, listening intently. "Okay... But first things first. Are my Pride-mates alive? Did you talk to them?"

"Yes, they're alive and I had the chance to ask them what happened," Liwe replied, "It turned out that the two rogues were nowhere close to the Northern Canyon when your friends left to meet them. They were still about two full moons away, more or less."

Adla blinked a couple of times, looking surprised. "Weird... Although it kind of makes sense... Johari and I already thought that they had traveled way too fast... So what happened when Johari reached the canyon?"

"Your friends looked all over for them, but since no one had seen the rogues roaming the area, the lionesses decided to keep on walking towards them, instead of coming back home."

Adla's eyes opened wide, as she looked around in disbelief. "Why in the world would they do that?"

Liwe ruffled her feathers for a moment, and then stood on one leg while resting the other by folding it close to her body. "They came across the small Ndogo Pride along the way, which is right on the path that the rogues are following to get here. They willingly shared food and shelter with your friends when they heard they were going to face the rogues. In exchange, your friends offered to walk even further and face the rogues before they crossed the borders of the Pride's small territory."

Adla shook her head, closing her eyes for a moment. "Can you believe them? I always thought Johari was only after revenge, but I stand corrected... Not everyone would risk it all to help a stranger. I wish I could be more like them sometimes..."

Liwe grinned shortly and carried on, "Anyway, the lionesses are doing just fine, a bit on the hungry side, but so are the rogues. The herds are scarce in the area they're at, so the odds are even in that sense. They're all just damn far away from here, that's all."

Adla nodded, sighing in relief. She could hardly wait to go and inform Salehe and Damisi.

"Here's where things get weird though..." Liwe whispered, bending over to be more at the lioness' level, "If I'm not mistaken, it was Meru who told you the rogues were near, right?"

Adla nodded, "Yes, Meru, the black heron, not the zebra."

"Well, I wanted to ask him about it, but it turns out that his nest is deserted. From the looks of it, it hasn't been tended to in ages. There was no trace of his mate and his hatchlings either."

"Do you think he got killed or something?"

Liwe shook her head. "No, apparently they all fled. I've got some friends trying to trace him down, but don't you think it's kind of fishy that he fed you false information and then he just disappeared?"

Adla began pacing to and fro, recalling how someone had already alerted the two rogues about Chiku and Johari's training. She mentioned this to Liwe, realizing that it might not have been a coincidence or an accident that the rogues found out. It really looked as if someone was passing information to the wrong team, and she couldn't figure out why. Adla had to admit it was all very strange.

"But what would be the point of all this? It makes no sense..."

"The way I see it," Liwe told her in a conspiratorial tone, "it looks to me like someone wants your fierce fighters out of the picture. Think about this: funny how the rogues, being miles and miles away, just _happen _to find out that these lionesses want to fight them. Second, if the confrontation had taken place by the canyon, your friends would have had all the energy to bring them down. But now, they're far away, wasting that energy slowly by suffering hunger and sleep deprivation. Their chances of success are being halved as we speak..."

Adla nodded. Liwe certainly had a point, but still, she could not see why someone would want Johari and Chiku dead.

"If you need more proof that there's someone doing a dirty job around here, just listen to this: the older lioness... Johari, was it? She actually said she had sent you a message with Meru, who had been _conveniently _circling over the canyon, to warn you that they'd be traveling further away, since the rogues were not there yet. Why didn't he deliver the message to you?"

Adla remained silent for a moment, as she thought hard about who else knew that Meru was helping her to keep updated with the happenings around the Eyasi territory. Practically everyone in the Pride had seen her talking to the black heron at some point, but Kamaria had listened in to one of their conversations once. She and Tisha had been lounging together; Kamaria was keeping an eye on their surroundings while Tisha lay blissfully beside her, feeling very calm and relieved after a grooming session by Adla's monkey-friends.

Kamaria had questioned Adla as to why the heron was passing on information to her about what the grazing herds were up to, to which Adla had replied that she was only trying to learn how things worked outside of the Pride by learning and listening to the other animals' perspective. Kamaria had smiled at her proudly, and told her that she was supposed to wait until she was older to start with her diplomacy lessons. But since Adla was already pretty much into it, Kamaria dived into the subject, sometimes supervising her exchanges with other tribes.

Adla looked up for a moment, realizing that through those lessons, Kamaria had gotten to know all of her contacts. She refused to believe that her own mother could be involved in such a nasty plan. Could Meru be getting information via Kamaria? And if so, why was he contacting the rogues anyway? Either way, Liwe had been a recent acquaintance, so Kamaria probably had no idea that she was a contact too. With all the pain in her heart, she decided she would have to keep her friendship with Liwe a secret, just in case.

"I have to go now," Liwe sighed, "I suggest you keep your eyes open for any suspicious activity around this place. In the meantime, concerning your fighting friends, all you have to do is wait. They will cross paths with the rogues soon enough."

"Are Ubaya and Kame aware that Johari and Chiku are looking for them?"

Liwe nodded. "I'm afraid so. They're actively searching for the lionesses too, saying they will teach them a lesson and show them their place... I'll keep you posted if I hear anything else."

Adla thanked Liwe, and the stork walked out of the cave, and took off swiftly.

The lioness spent some more time by the cave on her own, and decided that she would not disclose this information at all, not even to Damisi or Salehe. She also made a point to keep a better eye at Kamaria's activities outside of the lair, to see if she was meeting with any strangers that could be passing on information to the rogues.

But Kamaria wasn't meeting any strangers, and she was not seeing any of Adla's contacts either. She seemed mostly focused on making Salehe feel better. Adla saw how Kamaria hunted special treats for him, how she would groom his mane tenderly almost every day, she even witnessed how Kamaria had offered to let him mate outside her season, just to try to cheer him up a bit. But Salehe remained cold and distant to her advances, and more often than not, Kamaria returned back to the lair, looking disheartened and miserable. She then would vent her sadness and frustration, usually at her closest friend Tisha, who had always been very supportive of Kamaria, and who was always willing to lend an ear and provide words of comfort.

The days went by very quickly, and despite Adla's efforts in unraveling the mystery, she felt she was still nowhere close to finding out whether her mother was involved in all this mess, so she kept her guard up.

* * *

"Chiku, wake up, it's time to get a move on," Johari said as she nuzzled her daughter awake.

Chiku opened one eye and groaned. "The sun's not even out yet, can't we rest a bit longer?"

Johari rolled her eyes, every morning was the same story. Probably after Damisi, the thing that Chiku missed the most about being back home was to be able to sleep in.

"Come on, sleepy-head, let's see if we can score some breakfast."

The lioness got up reluctantly, and stretched herself, her legs still feeling sore from the long walks they had been taking.

"I had the stupidest nightmare," Chiku said as they walked slowly towards a distant antelope herd, "I was being chased by giraffes, lots of them! But it seems I could fly or something, because when I reached a cliff I-"

The lioness hushed when Johari held a paw to her mouth. Chiku grunted, not appreciating the interruption, but she stared ahead and she saw that the herd they had seen was running away, spooked by something.

Both lionesses looked intently, but sighed in relief when they saw it was a cheetah who had given chase.

"Let's see if the herd regroups, maybe we can have a go then," Johari told her and carried on walking.

Chiku waited to see if Johari would inquire about the continuation of her dream, but it appeared that she wasn't interested enough.

Johari simply kept staring ahead and grunted when she noticed a couple of hyenas were already bothering the cheetah and trying to steal the meal. She cursed under her breath, and muttered, "There goes our chance of the herd regrouping. Stupid hyenas..."

"Well, you're supposed to be a fighter, no? Why don't you take one down?" Chiku mumbled.

"I'd rather save my health for when we meet Kame and Ubaya," Johari replied, sensing some hostility coming from Chiku, but she decided to let it slide for now, not feeling in the mood for an argument. "I don't wanna risk getting bitten by one of those buggers and have my paw crushed or something before the action even starts."

Johari carried on walking, crossing a thicket of bushes, while Chiku lagged behind, sulking slightly.

"Yeesh... That's some nasty mood you got this morning. How about you do me a favor and pretend you're having the time of your life, for a change?" Johari said, looking at Chiku while waiting for her to catch up.

Chiku looked up and gave her mother a huge, fake grin, baring all her teeth in the process, and then rolled her eyes once Johari had turned the opposite way. Chiku then stopped to sniff a tree standing right next to them, looking interested. She proceeded to leave a mark of her own on its bark, thinking about just how many other lions would ever come across it and wonder about her.

Johari was about to keep on walking, but Chiku felt a cramp in her tummy and said, "Will you wait here for me? I think I might need to unload yesterday's meal."

Johari grimaced and shook her head. "You can be so gross sometimes, you know that? I never taught you those manners."

Chiku only grinned as if that had been a compliment. "I learned that one from Damisi."

"Okay, go ahead, but do hurry up please."

The lioness waited, pacing back and forth impatiently, while Chiku crossed the thicket again and retreated to the area they just came from.

Chiku proceeded to relieve herself while she watched uninterestedly how the hyenas who had stolen the cheetah's catch gorged noisily in the distance. She was about to return to Johari when suddenly she heard the hyenas scream in panic. They tried to run away as fast as their legs could carry them. Chiku's eyes grew wide in shock at what she saw, and she almost tripped on her own legs as she tried to run back to her mother.

Johari in the meantime stared into the horizon, until the wind brought a strange scent to her nose that she couldn't quite place. She sniffed around, trying to identify where it was coming from. She looked with curiosity at the tree Chiku had marked, and approached to investigate it closer. The scent she detected came from Chiku's recent mark, and Johari's ears drooped slightly when she realized why Chiku had been moodier than usual that particular morning. She cursed out loud and rubbed her right temple with a paw.

At that moment Chiku stormed through the thicket, and was about to speak when Johari interrupted, sounding a bit frustrated.

"Well, looks like we'll have to take a break from our search. I just found out through that mark you left there that you're coming into season!"

"Mom, I- What did you say? Are you sure?" Chiku said, cursing the timing with all her might.

Johari nodded and sighed. "Sorry if I sound snappy... It's not like you can help it. I just didn't count on it... Maybe we can go back to that small cave we found yesterday and-"

"We can't," Chiku interrupted this time, "remember those hyenas we saw back there?"

Johari nodded, becoming alarmed as she finally noticed Chiku's shocked expression. The lioness looked as if she had seen a ghost.

Chiku swallowed with difficulty, and whispered, "Well... Kame and Ubaya killed them just now, with one swipe of their paws, and they're now dining on the catch they had stolen from that cheetah earlier. We finally found them... I am sure they will pick up our trail soon, whether we go into hiding or not. This is it, mom, the moment you've been waiting for."

Johari was as still as a statue, but when she finally recovered her composure, she told Chiku, "I won't let you fight in this state, you'll have to go back to the Eyasi Pride."

Chiku shook her head. "It's too late mom... There's no turning back. Besides, this might work to our advantage... My scent will probably be a distraction to them!"

"You'll be distracted by them as well! You will react different, you won't be thinking clearly, and you won't be able to concentrate at all!"

Chiku frowned. "Don't be ridiculous, mom, like I'd want to mate with those guys or even find them remotely attractive!"

"You don't know what it's like, to be in season!" Johari snapped, "You'll do and say the stupidest things, and the moment you least expect it you'll be crouching before them and end up with cubs you never wanted in the first place!"

Chiku's ears drooped slightly. "Wow... Sounds like you talk from experience..."

Johari looked at her, realizing the magnitude of what she just said, and placed a paw on Chiku's shoulder. "Partly... I wasn't really looking for cubs when it happened, but when you came into my life, I was the happiest lioness in the world. I mean it."

Chiku looked at her, and decided to let that argument go for now. "You'll have to use my current condition to our advantage. Let me lure them in, they'll probably be all over me, giving you a chance to sneak on us unseen, and jump at them unexpectedly. Don't you think it's a good plan?"

"I never meant for you to be some sort of bait, that's just horrible!" Johari exclaimed, clearly not at ease with this turn of events.

"But if we can use the element of surprise, we'll have an advantage over them. You can't hide me any longer, they'll detect my scent and will follow me home anyway... We have to fight and we have to do it now!"

Johari bit her lip nervously, and peeked through the thicket. She spotted the two rogues, who had lost interest in their stolen meal, and were now heading their way resolutely.

"Mom... I'll stay here, you have to go and hide now. I'll just play along and keep them distracted, until you launch the attack. I'll be waiting for your signal."

"But-"

"There's no time, mom! Unless you can think of a better plan within a minute that will give us a bit of an advantage too!"

Chiku and Johari looked into each other's eyes, both clearly afraid and nervous.

Johari nuzzled her daughter gently as she whispered, "Thanks for coming this far, and for being my partner in all this. Regardless of the outcome, I already feel extremely proud of you. I love you, please keep that in mind. Be strong, no matter what those two do or say, and above all, try to keep your fear in check, don't give them that satisfaction."

Chiku nodded, doing her best to appear strong before her mother.

"That's my fighter. I'll see you in a bit," Johari replied, and darted off to hide somewhere where she could keep a close eye on Chiku and the rogues.

Chiku began taking a series of deep breaths, concentrating on getting rid of her nerves and her fear. It was not long before she could hear the rustling of leaves nearby and the sound of two distinct male voices heading towards her. Chiku took one last deep breath. She prepared herself, and waited.


	10. The Confrontation

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 10: The Confrontation**

Ubaya crossed the thicket first, followed closely by Kame, and muttered, "I told you, there was a gust of wind and I noticed someone else's scent. It's getting stronger so we must be getting close-"

The lion hushed when he saw Chiku sitting on her own, just a few paces away. He smiled to himself, and whispered to Kame, "Take a look at that..."

Kame looked in Chiku's direction. "Whoa. She's got bigger muscles than you, that one. She has to be one of the lionesses we're looking for..."

Ubaya scouted the terrain, looking for the second lioness, but if she was anywhere nearby, she was very well hidden.

"Keep an eye on the surroundings. I think one of them will try to catch us off guard," Ubaya told him.

Kame sniffed the air intently, and a wide grin spread on his face. "Ah... Do you smell that too?"

Ubaya scented the air before him and let out a deep chuckle. "This is going to be fun... Let's go," he said, and continued walking towards Chiku.

Chiku felt her heart beating faster and faster, no matter how much she tried to calm herself. She tried to think of how disappointed Johari would be if she knew just how badly she wanted to run away right this very moment, but the lioness managed to stay put, and stared at the rogues intently.

Not further away, Johari was keeping a close eye on her, ready to pounce at the first sign of trouble. As the wind blew in her direction, the scent of Kame and Ubaya reached her nostrils. It was just as she remembered it, and she felt so nauseated she had to retreat a few paces, so that they wouldn't hear her in case she threw up.

Chiku swallowed with difficulty, but she finally regained some control of her emotions, and just as the rogues faced her, she kept a straight face and tried to show no fear.

"Kame and Ubaya, I presume?" she told them, sitting as still as a statue.

"Yup, the very same," Ubaya replied, circling Chiku as he sized her up, while taking in her enticing scent.

His deep, rough voice made Chiku think of the noise her claws made when scratching them against the bark of a tree.

While the lion paced around her, Chiku took a good look at him too, trying to find any obvious weaknesses. But Ubaya appeared healthy and strong, and perhaps even bigger than Salehe himself. She glanced at his stump of a tail, which looked like it had been bitten off at some point. Ubaya also had multiple scars covering his body, and his golden fur and amber mane were extremely matted and filthy. He reeked of stale blood, which made Chiku wrinkle her nose slightly.

Kame got closer as well, and laughed out loud mockingly. "I thought they said they'd send two fighters after us... But this one here is barely an adult. Is this the best that hopeless Pride could do? And I actually thought we'd be in for a challenge!"

Chiku turned to looked at Kame, whose soft voice and rather polite and well-mannered tone contrasted greatly with Ubaya's. The almost white lion looked quite clean in comparison, although his mane also showed traces of blood, mud and dead grass. He was slightly smaller, but still imposing enough. Chiku found his pale blue eyes quite striking, but that didn't mean that their coldness towards her was not chilling her to the bone.

"Come on, give me a chance," Chiku replied, "You haven't seen me fight yet, but I assure you, I'm full of surprises. Although I suppose fighting is not really on your mind right now, huh?" She glanced at Ubaya, who had been sniffing her neck intently. She swished her tail a couple of times, feeling annoyed.

Kame looked her up and down. "Please... Don't flatter yourself. Ugly lionesses like you don't really turn me on, whether they're in season or not."

Chiku blinked at him, looking slightly surprised.

Ubaya grinned at Kame. "I'll have to agree with you on this one, pal. We've seen many females in our life, but this one here really wins the ugly prize. Who would want to mate with _that_? All those scars and bulgy muscles are not very becoming on a female. I much prefer the dainty, helpless type."

"Remember that hideous, mane-less lion we came across one time?" Kame sniggered.

Ubaya laughed derisively, and looked at Chiku again critically. "Now that you mention it, yeah, the resemblance is uncanny. I wonder if this one here ain't a mane-less bloke trying to pass for a lioness... How about you stand up so that I can check, just to be sure?" he told her, snickering slightly. He got so close to Chiku that she had to turn away, repulsed by his smell, but she still stood her ground and remained firmly seated.

Johari, who had already regained her composure, and had been listening intently to their conversation, realized that these two were already playing mind games with her daughter. A lioness in season is very sensitive to this kind of talk, and rejection during this period is a very hard pill to swallow. She was sure the rogues knew that, and they were taunting Chiku just for kicks. She could only hope Chiku would be strong enough to let it slide.

Chiku had listened to their snide remarks, keeping a straight face, but her drooping ears didn't go unnoticed by the two lions. She shook her head quickly as if to scare away a pesky fly, remembering how Hadithi had been all over her and how he would have gladly mated with her if she had been of age.

"Well, it's too bad you feel that way about me..." she finally replied, "Here I was, swooning my heart out and thinking that your greasy, smelly mane was extremely appealing."

The two males laughed brightly in unison.

"I love it when they talk back," Kame said, grinning broadly, "It just makes their surrendering and their begging for mercy a whole lot sweeter."

Ubaya nodded in agreement. "As for my mane... What can I say? I like to roll and bask around on my victims' blood. It's just a little guilty pleasure of mine."

Kame chuckled. "Yes, it does make him really happy... But his mane doesn't look like this all the time, you know. He usually asks our next victim to groom him first."

Ubaya sat down in front of Chiku and looked at her, expectantly. "What are you waiting for? Go ahead, start grooming! While you're at it, I could tell you the story of the lioness and her cubs, whose blood currently mats my fur. Wouldn't that be fun?"

Chiku felt her stomach making a nasty turn. She had already mentally prepared herself for possible intercourse, if the situation called for it, even if the thought of mating with them made her sick. But the thought of having to groom Ubaya, knowing the reason behind his dirty mane, made her even queasier.

"I think I'll pass. I've never been the type that grooms others. I prefer to slice them open," Chiku replied, while the nausea made her drool uncontrollably.

Ubaya looked at her closer, as her saliva dripped to the floor. "Are you aware that you're saying one thing, but your whole body is telling us something completely different?"

Kame snorted, once he also noticed Chiku was feeling sick. "Hey, Ubaya, I bet you a gazelle she'll wet herself before the fun part even starts..."

"It's on!" Ubaya replied.

While the two lions discussed the terms of their bet, Chiku realized that she was not in tune with her emotions. She needed to calm down, and fast. She tried thinking of all those times Johari upset her, forcing her to concentrate that anger into the fight. She remembered all the coconuts she slashed open, and just as she once pretended they all had Johari's face on them, she pictured new coconuts in front of her, which now had Kame and Ubaya written all over them.

Chiku also remembered one extremely thunderous night, where she had been hiding under a rock in the lair, scared of the loud and bright lightning. She was still a very small cub back then, experiencing her very first storm. Johari had insisted that she came out, telling her they would play games in the rain. Johari seldom played games with her, so Chiku eventually gave in to her request, and came out from hiding. They ran around the place at the rhythm of the storm, taking turns to chase each other every time the lightning struck. They played for what seemed like hours, and Chiku had such a great time that she forgot all about being scared, and actually felt sad when the stormy clouds rolled away, putting an end to their game as well.

_This is it... This is only a game during thunder, and these guys are my coconuts..._Chiku thought, regaining confidence in herself. She finally stood up and began circling the rogues herself.

"Well, since you're not in the mood for mating and I'm not in the mood for grooming, why don't we just get this party started? Who wants to fight me first?"

Ubaya watched her walk, and admired her rippling muscles greedily, wanting nothing more than to claim her right there and then, and sink his teeth in her luscious shoulders, but Kame slapped him back to his senses with a paw, and replied first, "Well, the thing is, we're both kitty-cats at heart. We like to play with our prey first, you know. I personally see no fun in finishing you off in ten seconds flat."

Chiku knew she had to lure at least one of them in, to give Johari the chance of a surprise attack. She finally let herself go and allowed her body to take over her mind for a moment. She could already tell she was acting differently, and not even on purpose. She swayed her hips as she walked, and her tail swished from side to side as if it had a mind of its own. She found all this quite terrifying, but she could also see that at least Ubaya was losing his focus and kept staring at her hind quarters all the time. This reassured her greatly and Chiku decided she would concentrate on luring Ubaya in. Since he was the biggest one, Johari and Chiku would benefit greatly if he were to get injured at an early stage of the game.

Chiku walked to him and brushed the tip of her tail down his cheek. "How about you? Do you also think that little of my fighting skills?"

Ubaya followed her closely for a moment. "Mmmm. You wouldn't last five seconds fighting with me, ugly."

"My name is Chiku," she snapped, looking at him over her shoulder, "Besides, are you aware that you keep calling me ugly, but _your _body is telling me something completely different?"

Kame laughed and yelled, "She got you there, Ubaya..."

But Ubaya wasn't laughing. The look of lust that had been pasted on his face had quickly changed, if only for a few seconds. He sniffed the air around, smiling to himself, and called Kame over.

Kame looked at him with curiosity and walked closer. His eyes opened wide all of a sudden, and they exchanged a quick glance, nodding curtly at each other.

"Well, I guess we could get this tension out of the way so we can both focus on the battle..." Ubaya mumbled, walking towards Chiku, "How about that?"

"I hate to admit it, but I'd appreciate some relief myself, too. Let's get this done and over with, shall we?" Chiku replied.

She turned around and presented herself to Ubaya, hoping Johari would be ready to pounce at any moment.

Chiku had been bracing herself, expecting to feel the weight and heat of Ubaya's body surrounding her, but it never came. Instead, a loud roar made her snap out of it and turn around. Ubaya and Kame had actually pounced together into a set of bushes nearby, and returned while dragging Johari by her paws.

"Looks like we've hit the jackpot," Ubaya said, looking very pleased at having ruined their attempt at an ambush.

"Next time you want to try a surprise attack, better go roll around in the mud, to mask that beautiful scent of yours," Kame told Johari, who was struggling to get up.

Chiku growled. "Let her go!"

"Now, now," Ubaya said, throwing a warning glare at Chiku, "Her life is in our paws now, don't you agree you're in no position to bark orders around?"

"I'm fine, Chiku, don't get distracted!" Johari hissed, but was forced to remain silent by Ubaya's paw pressing down on her throat.

"This, my little, ugly lioness, is what we call leverage. It means that now you both will do _everything _we tell you to do, if you want to keep each other safe and sound," Ubaya went on, looking down at Johari with contempt.

Kame proceeded to carelessly lie down on top of Johari, knocking the air out of her in the process. He then rested all his weight on her, keeping her pinned down.

Ubaya shook himself, looking very satisfied. "So... How about that grooming session? Something tells me you might have changed your mind in the meantime..." Ubaya told Chiku, sitting close to her again.

Chiku stared from Ubaya to her mother, as tears of anger began forming in her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to lash at him, but Johari was at a very compromising position, and she was afraid that if she were to attack Ubaya, Johari would end up paying the price; Kame's sharp claws were extremely close to Johari's throat.

Chiku took a deep breath, and began grooming Ubaya with disgust, trying hard not to pay attention to the task at hand, while her mind raced with plans to attack Kame and free Johari from his grasp.

"Not only are you hideous, but you're a lousy groomer too. You'll never find a mate this way, you know," Ubaya taunted, "Put some passion into it, come on," he said, and pinched her on the flank with two claws.

Chiku winced at first, but just as Johari had experienced once, her body reacted different to the stimulus this time. She could not stop herself from rubbing her face on Ubaya's cheek as she gave him a couple of heart-felt licks. She then gasped, surprised, not knowing why in the world she just did that.

"Leave her alone..." Johari snarled, looking at Chiku's confused and startled expression as she looked down at her flank, staring at the spot where she had been pinched. But Kame placed a paw on the back of Johari's head and gently unsheathed his claws, just as a warning.

Chiku shook her head and then carried own with her poor attempt at grooming, feeling nervous and confused.

Johari felt Kame's body shake slightly on top of her as he let out a chuckle. If he were to laugh again, she thought, she might just be able to wiggle out of his grasp and push him aside, so Johari remained extremely alert.

"Do that again, it was kind of funny," Kame told Ubaya.

Ubaya laughed along and scratched Chiku's shoulder with one nail slowly, waiting for her reaction.

Chiku bared her teeth, looking very angry for a short moment, but again she was overwhelmed by the new sensations, and she let out a deep sigh, hating herself for enjoying the feeling of well-being that followed the pain.

Ubaya gave her a mean grin, and continued to poke her with one nail in random places of her body.

Chiku closed her eyes, trying to fight the feeling, but the sensations were stronger than she had expected, and she lost track of herself for a few seconds. It was as if time had stopped for a moment, and by the time she opened her eyes again, she realized with horror that she was actually rubbing her own body full length against Ubaya's, while he raked his claws down her flanks and tried to press her hips down to the ground. She had no idea how that had happened, but she quickly snapped out of it, before Ubaya could take advantage of her. She felt revolted at herself and at Ubaya's amused expression.

"Get away from me..." Chiku snarled, getting a grip on herself as she took a few steps back. The lioness now understood why Johari didn't want her to fight in this state. It would be very difficult to concentrate, and she was extremely afraid of losing herself again after a bite or a scratch. She would have to be stronger than ever.

Johari could tell that Chiku was struggling with the situation, so she hoped she could make the rogues focus on her instead.

"Funny," Johari said out loud, "I always had the idea that you guys were more into making a lioness feel pain instead of pleasure. She's clearly not hurting, so why don't you just leave her alone?"

"Ah, maybe now's a good time to tell them all about our findings?" Kame said, while gently stroking Johari's back of her head with his paw. It kept Johari on edge, not knowing when he would bring out his claws to hurt her unexpectedly.

"Oh, yes," Ubaya replied, "You see, we've carried out a series of extensive experiments, and all of them led to one simple conclusion: There is always a threshold."

Johari looked at Ubaya, frowning. "Meaning?"

"Meaning that there is always a point in which the mind of a lioness in season will stop interpreting pain as pleasure. This usually occurs when her body realizes it's actually being attacked and in real danger. Now, the threshold varies in every lioness, of course. Some of them start experiencing real pain once we bite off one of their ears... Others are stronger than that, but they can't stand the pain of a crushed paw..."

Both lionesses turned to look at each other, and Johari cursed herself for having brought Chiku into this mess in her current condition.

"I have to admit that our ugly Chiku here looks kind of strong," Ubaya went on, prodding the lioness' firm muscles once more with a claw, "I daresay she would put up with quite a lot, but I am sure she'll reach breaking point by the time I slice her belly open..."

"And _then _he'll mate with her, and trust me, she won't be enjoying any of it!" Kame added nonchalantly, as if he had only been discussing the weather.

"Shut up!" Johari growled, finally losing her calm, "It's me who had the idea to come and fight you, so you leave her out of this!"

The moment Johari had been waiting for finally came. Kame began laughing once again at her outburst, and she managed to wiggle a paw out of his grasp. Johari didn't think twice, and she scratched him hard, right on the face.

Kame got up quickly, looking startled and roaring in anger.

Chiku immediately ran to her mother's side and helped her up, while baring her teeth at the rogues. "Mom, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, don't worry, concentrate!" Johari hissed.

Kame kept rubbing a paw to his nose, looking very displeased. The gash looked deep enough, since he was bleeding and there were tears in his eyes, whether they were from pain or anger, Johari and Chiku could not tell.

"Oh, will you look at that, they're mother and daughter, how cute!" Ubaya mocked.

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with and kill these two," Kame said, looking extremely angry for the first time since he arrived. He looked even more imposing now; he almost appeared to be a different lion, with his face contorted in rage.

Ubaya turned to Kame for a moment. "Hey," he said, but Kame kept staring at the lionesses with a murderous look.

"Hey!" Ubaya insisted, with a trace of urgency in his voice, shaking Kame softly by the shoulders, "Kame, we like to make it last, remember?"

Kame turned to Ubaya and they both locked eyes for just a brief moment, while Johari and Chiku looked at each other, confused, hesitating whether to jump at them now.

The white lion's expression softened visibly, and Ubaya gave him an approving nod. "That's more like it," he muttered.

Once Ubaya was sure that Kame wouldn't go berserk on the lionesses, he walked to Johari and looked at her intently for a moment. He decided to attempt some more psychological warfare on them by using his best card against them: Ishara.

"Hmm. You look a lot like your sister, now that I think about it. I do remember her clearly..." he said close to Johari's face.

"Don't you even dare speak about her, you murderer..." she spat at him.

Ubaya gave her a mean grin, confirming that he could get to Johari this way. "Oh, why not? After all, I do have very sweet and fond memories of her. Did you know that your sister, your daughter and you all have the same, beautiful eyes?"

Kame decided to ignore his bleeding nose for now, and finally joined Ubaya's side and added, "He should know; he's the one who took them out..."

Chiku could notice that Johari had started to shake from anger. She had never seen her mother so upset, and for a moment she feared that Johari would be the one making mistakes during the fight, instead of herself.

"Don't listen to them, mom... Remember what you said? They'd try to upset us..." Chiku whispered.

Johari only nodded slightly, reassuring Chiku that she was okay. Johari was sure these guys would start recounting each and every thing they did to Ishara, just to throw her concentration off, but she would have to be strong and brush it off for now.

"Be ready," Johari hissed at Chiku, "You'll go for the white one. Whatever you do, don't let him pin you down."

Chiku gave her a quick nod, and focused on the rogues intently, who were still bragging about the day they had crossed Ishara's path.

"She tried to run away at some point, remember?" Ubaya went on, pretending to reminisce as he looked up at the sky thoughtfully, "even after we had chewed off all her claws! So, naturally, we had to break her legs, one by one, to prevent her from-"

But Ubaya could not finish his hurtful remarks, since at that moment Johari gave Chiku the signal, and launched the attack. Johari went straight for Ubaya, leaving the smaller and slightly wounded lion for Chiku.

As they tried to slash and intimidate each other, the sound of their roaring became so loud that several animals heard them in the distance, and congregated to watch. There were mainly wild dogs, hyenas and vultures from the area. They had never witnessed a battle so fierce, but what made it more exciting was to know that someone had finally dared to stand up to those two brutes.

Not only lion prides had suffered from Kame and Ubaya's mistreatments. Many hyenas, wild dogs, leopards and cheetahs had perished for sport at their paws. So those who were witnessing this battle knew that they could be in for a huge treat, if the lionesses succeeded.

Both Chiku and Johari noticed that the rogues weren't incredibly good fighters, compared to the way Salehe fought. Ubaya was a lot slower, relying more on strength than speed. He was not looking to bite or scratch, but he kept trying to land heavy blows to the face instead, most likely so that he could disorient Johari and pin her down, keeping her alive long enough for their sick and twisted purposes.

Ubaya had to admit that he had not expected the lioness to be this good, and even though he had landed a couple of powerful blows on Johari's face, the lioness only shook her head quickly and kept going strong. Her speed was impressive, but Ubaya knew she could not keep it up forever. She would grow tired, and then he would take the advantage.

Kame was going through a similar experience with Chiku. He realized that whoever taught this young lioness to fight definitely did a very good job. He had never encountered such a good female fighter in his life, and he almost felt it would be a shame to kill them. Unlike Ubaya, Kame was lighter on his feet, and he was also looking forward to biting and scratching, so Chiku was already sporting several deep wounds. But she had managed to hurt the lion too in the meantime, so the fight was quite even at this point.

But Ubaya had been right, and despite having great stamina, Chiku and Johari began to slow down, resulting in the males landing more hits and bites.

It was until Ubaya stood up on two paws to try and maul Johari's face, that Chiku noticed he was only resting his weight on one leg, and kept the other one from touching the ground repeatedly.

"Mom! Go for the warthog! The warthog!" Chiku yelled at Johari, in a code that they had made up for different parts of the enemy's body, so that they could help each other point out weaknesses, without letting the opponent know which part they were about to attack.

Johari heard her clearly and glanced towards Ubaya's left hind leg. The lion was indeed trying to keep from putting too much weight on it. Johari then decided to try the same move that Salehe first tried on her when she asked to be taught. Only this time she swiped her paw forcefully across his hind legs, instead of the forelegs. Her actions had the desired effect.

Ubaya tripped slightly and let out a roar of pain. He began limping more obviously now. He turned around, looking extremely angry, and unlike Kame, he felt no added respect for the lionesses, and would certainly feel very glad when disposing of these two pests.

Johari continued to target his hind legs, slowing him down considerably.

Chiku in the meantime still had not found any weaknesses to take advantage of, so she continued to fight Kame and dodge his attacks as best as she could. The fact that she could not feel much pain at this point was very helpful, and being completely focused on the fight helped her not to respond in the same way she had done when Ubaya had been prodding her with his claws.

She had never felt so determined in her life, and for the first time, she wholeheartedly agreed with her mother's anger in this whole situation. These guys deserved what was coming, not only for what they did to Ishara, but for everyone else that met their demise through them.

Chiku was vaguely aware that some of the wild dogs that had gathered together to watch had gotten closer, and she hoped with all her heart that they would not try to interfere and break their concentration, but as she listened closely to what they were all screaming, Chiku realized they were actually egging the lionesses on.

A couple of wild dogs were yelling, "Get them, rip them apart!"

"Avenge my daughters, I beg you!" an old hyena added to the mix of screams and cheers.

Chiku felt renewed strength when she heard these natural enemies actually siding with them and cheering for her, and in her excitement she managed to hit Kame so hard in the face, close to his ear, making him lose his balance and stumble a few paces.

Chiku wasted no time and jumped at him, slicing every inch of his body with her paws, attacking him in what she had called the 'rabid coconut-killer' mode.

Kame roared in pain, and looked up startled when he saw Chiku standing on top of him, pinning him down for a moment.

Chiku's weight was not enough to keep the lion down, so Kame managed to wiggle out of her grasp. He quickly turned around and tried to to swipe a paw at her face. Chiku saw her chance and went for her signature move: she caught his paw in her muzzle, and then twisted it painfully. She didn't dare to break it with her jaws, but the hyenas kept screaming at her to do it.

"Break it! Like this! Like this!" the hyenas yelled and clicked their teeth loudly.

Chiku twisted the leg further, forcing Kame to flop down on the grass from the pain while he struggled to escape. She stood up on him again, and released the injured leg for a moment. She turned to look at the cheering hyenas and said, "Why don't you have a go, if you're so keen on breaking his paw-"

She hadn't even finished her line when the old hyena that had been crying earlier for her daughters came running boldly towards her, and without any warning she took hold of Kame's wounded leg with her mouth, and bit down as hard as she could. Kame screamed in pain and started to squirm once again, trying his best to get up.

The sound of breaking bones had been so loud that even Johari and Ubaya had paused to watch for a second, while the hyena retreated screaming gleefully, "That was for my daughters! Those two killed them two nights ago!"

The endorphines released after the huge moment of pain made Kame react forcefully and he somehow regained enough strength to push Chiku off him, but the damage was done. His right forepaw was now useless, and he could not put any weight on it or use it to fight anymore.

Chiku saw for the first time a trace of fear in Kame's eyes, while he tried to weigh his chances.

"Do you reckon this is what all those lionesses felt like, when you guys did this to them?" Chiku asked him, panting heavily.

"We're the ones who do the wise cracks here, ugly," Kame replied, and jumped at her, baring his fangs.

Chiku rolled underneath him as he jumped and landed a good blow on his back, making him trip more easily now that he couldn't use one of his forepaws. Chiku kept pushing him around until Kame fell to his side, and she quickly stood up on top of him again. She was hoping she could finally get a hold of his neck and give him the killing bite, but he was still very mobile and kept wiggling around, scratching her face in the process.

Chiku winced, while the wild dogs and the hyenas were screaming at her to let them help.

Chiku looked at them quickly. "I take it you guys also have a bone to pick with him?"

A very young hyena approached, looking rather nervous. She couldn't have been more than one year old. "You keep him down! You keep him down, and don't let him go! Promise?" she stuttered, clearly nervous.

Chiku nodded and managed to make Kame loose his balance again, by swiping his good foreleg extremely hard. The lion fell to the ground, and Chiku rested her weight on Kame's back. The young hyena hesitated only for a second, but then she ran towards them and bit hard on the other foreleg, also crushing the bones effortlessly.

The young hyena retreated, boasting to her friends that she'd actually bitten the lion who had killed her parents and sibling.

Chiku looked down at Kame. There was nothing much he could do anymore at this point, other than wriggling around on the ground. She stepped away from him as he groaned in pain, and decided to join Johari in the fight against Ubaya.

Johari brightened up when she saw Chiku by her side. She could see her daughter was hurt and bleeding from several places, but Chiku didn't appear to be bothered by it. Her focus was completely on the fight; the pain would come later.

"Let's show him what we've learned during our last lessons... Two versus one!" Chiku exclaimed, thankful for the last lessons they took together with Salehe, even if she had hated them at first.

Johari felt renewed energy from seeing her daughter so focused, and although Ubaya had been a lot stronger, between the two of them they managed to pin him down as well within a couple of minutes. Two more hyenas rushed in to have a go at his paws, but this time it was Johari who bit hard on his leg.

Chiku looked at her startled.

Johari didn't stop at that, she actually moved on to bite the rest of Ubaya and Kame's limbs, until both of them could not stand up any longer. Johari stared down at them with contempt. Her hard work had finally paid off and she let out a loud, victorious roar.

Chiku glanced around, noticing how silent everyone had gone, wondering what would happen next, holding on to each and one of Johari's words as she spoke next.

"Why don't you tell me what was the order of events that led to my sister's death? Then I can do the exact same thing to you."

Ubaya looked up at her and cursed, calling her nasty names while spitting blood in the process.

Johari shrugged nonchalantly "In that case, I'll just have to guess... Maybe I could start with an eye?"

"Mom..." Chiku interrupted, but Johari was not listening.

"Or I could bite an ear off... What do you say? What do you all say?" She asked, addressing the hyenas and wild dogs around them, who had all gone extremely quiet. No one dared to reply.

"Mom!" Chiku yelled louder this time, "You can't do this. You're not like them. Don't stoop to their level... Please... Listen to me..."

Johari looked at Chiku as her eyes began to tear up. "But this is what I've been working for all this time... I want them to feel the pain, I want them to suffer like Ishara did..."

Chiku nuzzled Johari and said, "And then what? Can you live with the fact that you did the same horrifying things that these guys did?"

Johari looked at the mangled legs of Ubaya, and all of a sudden she became aware of the taste of his blood in her mouth. She had to admit that she felt sick at the sight, remembering the look of Ishara's own legs, and she shook her head.

"Do you think it will feel any good to take their eyes out? Of course not, mom. We're not sadists, like them... They'll probably have one last kick, knowing how much you're hating what you're doing."

Johari glanced at Ubaya, and walked to him, looking much calmer now. "You should be thankful that my daughter has been kind enough to remind me that a lioness is supposed to bring down her prey in an honorable way, quickly and as painless as possible. If it hadn't been for her, you and your friend here would have ended up looking just like my sister did when you were done with her..."

"I'm moved. You're both so damn noble," Ubaya growled sarcastically.

Johari bent over and took a hold of Ubaya's mane. She then dragged him closer to Kame, where both of them could actually see each other.

"Before I finish you off," Johari said, sitting between the two lions, "I want to know who alerted you about our training and about our presence here. How did you find out?"

Ubaya simply cursed at her again in response, but Johari's patience had ran out. She pushed his head backwards with one of her paws and closed her jaws on Ubaya's throat forcefully.

Ubaya tried to kick Johari but the pain in his limbs was excruciating, there was nothing he could do at this point to defend himself.

Kame simply watched silently as Ubaya's pupils widened in fear, while he gasped for air. A deep sigh escaped Kame's mouth once Ubaya had stopped thrashing, his unblinking eyes still fixed on him.

Johari released her grip on Ubaya and turned to Kame. "Perhaps you'll be more cooperative than he was?"

"What's the point? You'll kill me anyway after I spill the beans."

Chiku stood by her mother's side and surprised her by saying, "Oh, you'll die for sure, but you can choose between my mother's gentle, almost caressing bite, or being eaten alive by the hyenas here..."

The hyenas let out loud whoops of excitement. "We'll even share with the wild dogs this time!"

The onlookers cheered shortly, and then hushed each other quickly to hear what Kame had to say.

Kame took a deep breath, staring at his dead companion for a short moment. He made up his mind; he would go the same way he went. As for Johari and Chiku, he decided he would be honest with them, just for putting up such a good fight.

"There's nothing much to it..." Kame said, resting his head on the grass, feeling a lot weaker now after losing a lot of blood. "One day, this black heron came flying to us and mentioned something about two lionesses from the Eyasi Pride training to try and get revenge on us. You see, we usually don't go back to a territory we've already visited, but this time we thought we would make an exception and humour you guys a bit."

Chiku and Johari listened intently, along with the rest of the onlookers.

"We didn't see the bird again for a while, until one day he showed up to warn us that you two were not simply quietly waiting for us to return back at your lair, but that you were actually looking for us, so he warned us to keep our guards up."

"Why was he helping you? Did he say anything about that?"

Kame looked at the two lionesses, but shook his head slightly. "All I can say for sure is that he was not doing it for his enjoyment. He always looked quite nervous, stuttering, not really at ease with the idea of addressing us."

Johari and Chiku looked at each other thoughtfully, muttering to each other why Meru would have set them up like that.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Kame said after listening to their theories, looking calm and composed even in these circumstances.

The lionesses turned to look at him. "What is obvious?"

"Just look at you two. I've never seen warriors like you in my life. I am quite sure that someone in your Pride is feeling threatened by your strength and skills, and they were making sure that you wouldn't make it back alive, by trying to lower your chances against us. Think hard; have you upset anybody? Has anyone got any reason to fear you, or to believe that you will try to take their position by force?"

Johari kept a straight face, but Chiku's eyes widened up considerably. She remembered all of a sudden the night when Kamaria asked her to spy on Johari and Salehe, and now that she was older, she could understand the consequences of what she had said back then.

"Mom... there was one time when-" Chiku started to say, but Johari interrupted her.

"We'll discuss this later, in private," she whispered, glancing at the crowd around them.

"Anything else you have to say?" Johari asked the agonizing lion.

Kame shook his head silently and closed his eyes again.

Johari nodded to herself and was about to go for his throat, when Chiku said, "Wait..."

Kame opened his eyes again only to see Chiku bending over right in front of him, almost face to face. He inhaled deeply and gave her a sly smile, while whispering, "Are you still craving for some quality time with me?"

Chiku ignored his remark and looked deep into his blue eyes. "I just want to know... Why?"

"Why what?" Kame replied, nonplussed.

"Why did you hurt all those lionesses? All those innocent cubs..."

Kame let out a deep chuckle. "My dear, the answer to that is: we did it just for gags."

"I refuse to believe that... There has to be a reason behind all this! Please... I just need to understand all that's happened here..."

Kame shook his head. "If you're looking for a sob story about how Ubaya and I were abused as cubs, and grew up to be the tortured souls we are today, then I will have to disappoint you. Ubaya and I both had a rather normal cubhood and our parents were okay, most of the time. Ubaya was simply born a bully, and I happened to share his fascination for exerting control over others."

Chiku's mouth was wide open for a moment, until she ventured to ask, "You never stopped to think that what you were doing was wrong?"

"Oh, yes, many times, but the thing is, that little part inside yourself that tells you to give a damn, it never worked in Ubaya and myself," Kame replied nonchalantly, "We thrived in the fear of others, and the fact that even Prides miles away knew about our existence, was reason enough to keep us going and try to pay them all a visit. I tell you once again, there's no reason to this madness. Stop trying to make sense of this, because it won't make any to you. You need to be one of us to understand why our minds work the way they do."

"So you don't feel any remorse, not even now that you're about to die?"

Kame's expression changed suddenly. From looking calm and defeated, he went to growling and baring his teeth in a rather mean looking grin. His voice even dropped a register when he said, "The only thing I'm regretting now, ugly, is not having made you mine, and then sliced your throat open while I was at it-"

"That's enough," Johari said, not trusting Kame's change in personality at all. She pushed Chiku aside gently and then silenced Kame with a slap to the face.

Kame's features softened again. He simply laughed softly to himself, and closed his eyes again, exposing his neck to Johari, accepting his fate with resignation.

Chiku looked at her mother for a moment. She could tell Johari was hesitating whether to kill Kame swiftly, or to allow the hyenas to finish him off after all. She kept glancing at the pack, and then back at Kame, looking indecisive.

Chiku took a step forward and before Johari could back on her words, Chiku was the one who gave the killing bite instead. This was her first time suffocating someone, and despite the fact that Kame began panicking, and tried to to fend her off pitifully with his broken legs, Chiku held on to her bite and did not let go, even minutes after Kame's chest had ceased to rise.

"He's gone, Chiku, you can let go now," Johari whispered in her ear, slightly upset that Chiku had seen through her intentions of letting Kame suffer a bit longer.

Chiku released her bite, and flopped on the grass, next to Kame's still body. She could feel her legs shaking from all the physical exertion as well as the intense emotions experienced today. It was until now that she felt safe enough to lower he guard.

The wild dogs and hyenas approached, and sincerely thanked the lionesses for ending the rogues' days of terror. They proceeded to tell them about the relatives they had lost, and how everyone dreamed of the day someone strong and brave would put a stop to them. The vultures flew around the area, telling any other passing bird about what they had witnessed, and the word began to spread like a wild fire.

Chiku thanked the hyenas for their help in subduing Kame. For some reason she could not understand, she hadn't dared to break his paws herself, and who knows what would have been the outcome if the hyenas hadn't taken that task over.

The wild dogs were so grateful that they even shared some of their food from the previous catch with the lionesses, knowing that they would be too exhausted to go hunting for now.

Chiku and Johari accepted the meal gratefully, and bid them all farewell. They retreated in search of a quiet place, far away from the place of the fight. They didn't feel like listening to the hyenas gorging in on the two rogues.

Once they were done eating, the lionesses were both extremely quiet as they nursed their wounds thoughtfully, the events of the day still running through their minds.

Chiku was in a worse state, sporting gashes and bite marks all over, but the lioness was not complaining at all.

Johari watched her daughter as she groomed herself. She felt Chiku had grown so much in one single day, and that she had learned more today, than in all her previous lessons.

"Thanks for everything, Chiku... Also for stopping me when I was getting carried away. You were absolutely right. I would have hated myself afterwards..."

Chiku looked up and acknowledged her words with a quick nod and a small smile.

"Need some help with those wounds?" Johari offered.

Chiku shook her head. "No, thanks, I'm almost done." The lioness looked around for a quick moment, and sighed loudly. "You know what's weird? I'm very tired, but I also feel very restless... It's like... Although my paws refuse to walk any further, I am really craving to go for a walk."

Johari smiled understandingly. "I know what you mean. It's your season messing with you. Why don't you try and find yourself a nice tree to rub against? That usually helps, and you'll feel a lot better."

Chiku mustered all her energy to get up, and found a tree to her liking, and rubbed her body, head and chin against it repeatedly, hesitant at first, but more enthusiastic after a while. Her restlessness eventually faded, and the lioness immediately fell in a very deep sleep, not worried about being attacked by the rogues in her sleep anymore.

Johari tried to join her in a nap too, but she still felt very worried, knowing that perhaps there was someone back at home that would not be glad at all to see them return safe and sound. Not only that, she had hoped that killing Ubaya and Kame would bring her peace and enlightenment, but she still felt as empty and as miserable as before, perhaps even more now that it felt as if her life had no purpose any more. All this time she had lived only to train for her fight against the rogues. What was she supposed to do now?

"That's it... I've done it... So where do I go from here, Ishara?" she whispered softly, glancing up at the sky.

The lioness stared upwards thoughtfully for quite a while, until drowsiness finally took over and she lay her head to rest on her paws.


	11. Help on The Way Back Home

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 11: Help on The Way Back Home**

Chiku and Johari had rested for a couple of hours before making their way back home. The short nap, and the food the wild dogs had shared with them earlier, renewed their energy, although their bodies were still very sore and in pain.

The two lionesses noticed that the word about their fight with the rogues had spread rather quickly. Everywhere they looked they could see a bird or an animal acknowledging their presence and bowing their heads slightly, grateful for what they had done.

"Looks like those two lions had made enemies all over the place," Johari mused, "I swear I even saw a group of zebra down that plain greeting us too..."

Chiku had to agree that everyone seemed to be smiling at them. If she had felt any doubts about killing Kame and Ubaya, she was now completely sure that she had done the right thing.

Johari took a deep breath, and decided to tackle on the next issue that kept troubling her mind. "Chiku, there was something you wanted to tell me, right when Kame suggested that we should look for someone in the Pride who feels threatened by us. What were you going to say?"

Chiku stared down at the grass as she walked, looking thoughtful. She then turned to look at Johari. "Can I ask you something? It's kind of personal..."

"Um... I guess," Johari replied.

"Is there something going on between you and Salehe?"

Johari drooped her ears for a moment. "No. He would like it to be that way, but I don't love him, and he knows that. Why do you ask?"

Chiku bit her lip nervously, and glanced at Johari quickly. "I... I might have said something that sounded like you guys were kind of getting it on."

Johari stopped walking, staring at Chiku in disbelief.

Chiku proceeded to tell Johari about her spying during one of her lessons, and how Kamaria had asked her to listen in to her conversation with Salehe.

"I was very young and couldn't understand half a word you were saying, but I think... I think that Kamaria might have gotten the wrong idea, from the jumbled message I passed on to her..."

Johari sat on her haunches as she took in the information. "To be honest, Kamaria was also the first lioness that sprung to my mind... She has certainly been acting very hostile towards me, for a long while already. I had thought that it was because I had spent my season with Salehe without letting her know, but I think it goes deeper than that. If she knows Salehe has feelings for me, perhaps she feels threatened, thinking that I'm after her position and her mate... But the question is, does she think that's reason enough to try and dispatch me?"

Chiku shrugged, looking confused. "You never know... Do you know if she's the jealous type?"

Johari pondered for a moment. "Hmm... She did supervise our lessons for a while, and was not happy about Salehe spending time with me. Maybe she was jealous indeed..."

Chiku began walking again. "Well, I say we just go home and see her face when she sees we're alive and kicking. See if she betrays herself or something..."

Johari followed Chiku, shaking her head. "Chances are by the time we get there, they already know we've succeeded. News have traveled quite fast already..."

The lionesses continued their journey at a brisk pace, stopping only to eat and sleep. However, several days after Chiku's season came to an end, the pain caused by her multiple wounds finally became more obvious to her, and the lioness was having problems keeping up. Each muscle in her body felt as if it was on fire, and she felt extremely tired and sleepy.

Johari could tell that Chiku was not feeling all too great. She had become very quiet lately, and was not too keen in engaging in conversation.

"Would you like to stop and rest for a bit?" Johari offered, seeing Chiku was having difficulty just trying to walk in a straight line.

Chiku only shook her head, feeling that she had already delayed their journey a lot by taking random naps throughout the day.

But Johari could see right through her, and came up with a way to let her stubborn daughter rest after all. Even though Johari wasn't extremely tired yet, she went on to say, "Well... I could really use a quick break. I feel my paws are killing me. Would you mind stopping just for a little while?"

Chiku looked at her, barely concealing a look of relief on her face. At least she didn't have to feel guilty for making her mother stop yet again. She nodded at Johari, and immediately lay down on her belly, looking exhausted.

Johari snuggled close and watched how within no time Chiku had fallen asleep. The lioness smiled and licked Chiku's forehead tenderly. She knew her daughter had been through a lot, and it was all catching up to her now.

Although Johari had not been very tired, the moment that she lay her head to rest on her paws, drowsiness began to set in, and the lioness fell asleep too. She woke up a couple of hours later, feeling more energetic and well-rested.

"Chiku? Do you feel like walking a bit further now?" she asked, while stretching herself, bringing some relief to her sore muscles.

Chiku did not reply, so as usual, Johari went and pawed her face slightly, trying to rouse her. "Come on... Time to get up..."

But Chiku didn't move at all. She was breathing heavily, with her mouth half-open, and her tongue lolling out from the corner of her lips.

Johari frowned and bent over to nuzzle her gently, and noticed that Chiku felt extremely hot to the touch.

"Oh no... Are you feeling sick? Please, talk to me..." Johari said, pawing her more forcefully to try and wake her up.

Johari felt her heart sinking when Chiku gave her no reply. She began pacing in circles, wondering what to do.

She became startled when all of a sudden, a hornbill that was perched on a tree took off noisily, distracting her from her thoughts.

Johari looked angrily at him, and then focused on Chiku again. She decided she would try to carry her, but this feat took Johari quite some effort, since Chiku was rather heavy for someone her age. But in the end she managed to balance Chiku's limp and feverish body on her back, and continued her journey, at a much slower pace.

Johari then began to feel more and more exhausted. Chiku gave no signs of waking up, and Johari's back was screaming for some relief. But Johari kept going until her legs couldn't carry Chiku and her own weight any more. The lioness flopped on the grass, and managed to roll from under Chiku's body with some difficulty. Johari knew she'd have to go find food soon, but she wouldn't be able to catch anything in this state. She decided she would sleep some more, and then go look for food and water later.

When Johari woke up again, she was shocked to see that night had fallen already. She quickly went to check on Chiku, who was still boiling hot, and mumbling incoherent phrases. Johari went on the lookout for water, and found a small waterhole nearby. She carried Chiku on top of her once again, feeling her back complaining almost right away. Johari knew she wouldn't get far, it would be impossible for her to transport her daughter all the way home this way.

She managed to make it to the waterhole, and leaned over so that Chiku's body would roll off her. Johari then dragged Chiku gently by the back of her neck, and pushed her into the water, to try and cool her down. The pool was shallow enough, so that at least half of Chiku's body was submerged in water, while her head rested safely on the edge.

Johari bent over for a drink, and caught herself a couple of fish. She had thought about going hunting, but she was not sure about leaving Chiku alone in her defenseless state. These small treats would have to do for now.

"I've got us some food," Johari told Chiku, placing the fish close to her nose, hoping to entice her, "why don't you try to eat something?"

Chiku had been shivering violently for a while already, but it seemed that the water had helped in cooling her down a bit. She even opened her eyes for a moment and stared at the fish, wondering whether she was still having delirious dreams or not.

Johari pushed the food closer to Chiku's mouth, and the lioness tried to eat, but Chiku didn't feel hungry at all and gave up after just a couple of nibbles.

Johari was about to encourage her, when she heard a few twigs snapping in the distance. The lioness looked around, trying to identify where the sounds were coming from. It was actually no mystery, because whoever was approaching, was not making any effort in concealing their presence. She heard two male voices, getting closer and closer.

"Their trail leads to the waterhole. With some luck, they haven't left," a voice said.

"I can't wait to meet them! How about you, dad?" a voice that sounded much younger asked eagerly.

"Me too, but let's see first if they're still there. Come on, hurry."

Johari blinked for a moment, wondering if she had heard them correctly. Was someone actually looking for them? Could this be yet another grateful animal, looking to thank them for avenging a dead relative?

Johari felt the fur on her back bristle when all of a sudden, two lions came into view. The older one was a skinny, full grown male sporting a golden-brown and black mane, and the younger lion was still caught between cubhood and adolescence. His legs looked way too long for his body, and there was the smallest trace of a mane that had only started to grow on the top of his head.

"Wait, don't hurt us! We come in peace! We're here because we heard you could use some help!" the older lion yelled, seeing Johari was already poising herself for combat.

Johari pricked her ears and dropped her fighting stance ever so slightly. "Who are you?"

The two lions came closer, but kept a considerable distance, so as not to make her feel threatened or uncomfortable.

"I used to be a member of the Ndogo Pride," he replied, "You've met my former pride-mates; they shared a gazelle with you not long ago... Do you remember them?"

Johari nodded, still eying him carefully. "How could I forget? They were very kind to us... So, aren't you with them anymore?"

The lion gave her a warm, friendly smile. "No, I left them to try and form my own Pride. My brother's the leader, and we remained in very good terms, so I still go and visit them often. Anyway, we heard from this bird that one of you had fallen ill. Since my brother's health is not great at the moment either, the lionesses asked me to come and help you out. After what you did, I must say, it's quite an honor."

Johari put two and two together; the hornbill from earlier probably raised the alarm and called for help. She finally smiled back at the two lions, and invited them to come closer, motioning with her head to where Chiku was lying. The two lions approached her quietly.

"Chiku... Did you hear that? These two lions have come to help us..."

But Chiku kept her eyes closed, having fallen into stupor again, not saying anything in return.

"She looks in bad shape," the lion said, looking at her closely, "But lucky for her, Zabu happens to be in the area. Have you ever met him before?"

Johari shook her head. "No, never heard of him... Who is he?"

"He's a traveler meerkat who's gathered quite some knowledge about herbs and their healing properties. I will bring you to him so that he can patch you both up. One of the lionesses was going to alert him, so he should be waiting for us by the time we get there."

Johari nodded gratefully. "Thanks... I'm sorry, I didn't even ask your names..."

"My name's Badawi and this is my son, Zende."

Johari looked at the young lion, who was staring at Chiku timidly. He almost looked afraid of her. Very slowly, he placed a paw on top of Chiku's head, patting her reassuringly, but retracted it very quickly when Chiku merely flicked one of her ears.

"All right, help me out here, Zende, let's place her on top of my back," Badawi said, as he gently pulled Chiku out of the water.

Zende and Johari both helped in placing Chiku on top of the lion, with her legs hanging on each side, and her head snuggled comfortably in his mane.

"Poor thing's still boiling," Badawi said, shuddering slightly from the cold water dripping from Chiku's wet pelt on to his own. "All right, let's get going, we got no time to lose."

Johari lagged behind slightly, while Badawi walked at a brisk pace, even with Chiku on top of him. For such a skinny lion, he seemed very strong. She also watched how Zende kept a good eye on Chiku, pulling her back in place in case she was gliding off to one side. Johari couldn't help but smile when she heard the young lion said, "When I grow up, I wanna be a great fighter, just like her."

"You will be, but only if you study more. No more fooling around, okay? Do you think she fools around when she practises?" was Badawi's reply.

Zende shook his head, still impressed by Chiku's fierce looks, even in her sick state.

Johari would have loved to join in on their conversation, and tell them all about their lessons and how much Chiku had improved, but she felt quite worried and tired, so instead she kept more to herself, praying silently to Ishara, to help Chiku get through this.

They walked what seemed like hours to Johari, but they finally reached a couple of big boulders, where the lionesses from the Ndogo pride had congregated. They all looked tired and skinny, but they were also extremely happy to know that their little Pride had been spared from Ubaya and Kame's visit. They knew the rogues would have certainly killed them all, since their leader was in no state to defend them, and they were all too weak to put up a decent fight.

"Hey, there... Nice to see you all again," Johari told them sincerely, nuzzling them in a friendly greeting, "How's things around here?"

"Much better now, knowing we're safe, thanks to you! We've also spotted some herds nearby, so we've had quite good meals the past couple of days, can you tell?" the leader's mate replied, patting her full belly.

Johari was about to reply but she was interrupted by a voice coming from somewhere around ground level.

"All right, let me through, let me through..."

Johari looked down as the lionesses made way for a small, old meerkat, who was carrying a pouch made of dried leaves glued together with resin.

Badawi lay down on his belly, with Chiku still resting on top of him. "What do you think, Zabu? Can you help her? She's got quite a high fever..."

Zabu inspected Chiku's wounds intently. "These wounds look reasonably clean, and they seem to be healing already. Can you turn her on her back for a moment?"

Badawi let Chiku roll off him gently. Johari approached and helped in holding Chiku belly up, for a closer inspection.

"Ahh, here it is," Zabu explained, lifting one of her forelegs high up. Right in her underarm there was a nasty cut that Chiku could not reach to clean by herself, and which Johari hadn't spotted earlier, since it was easily concealed. The wound looked infected, and was probably the cause of Chiku's fever.

"Didn't she complain about having pain?" the meerkat asked, as he began preparing a concoction of crushed leaves.

"Well... We both try to hold back when it comes to admitting we're in pain. Part of our training was to learn how to keep it hidden. But when she did eventually complain, she said she felt pain everywhere. She never specifically pointed out that spot..." Johari replied.

Zabu simply nodded, and added some water to his mixture of crushed leaves, creating a gooey, sticky, milky substance. He then cleaned Chiku's wound with some water, and smeared his concoction right on top of it, making sure to cover the wound completely.

"That should take care of the infection, and now, for the fever..." the meerkat said, and then proceeded to stick his thin arm right into Chiku's mouth, stuffing what looked like a bunch of black berries down the lioness' throat.

Zende couldn't stifle a laugh and told the meerkat, "Bet you a slug you don't dare to do that while she's awake!"

"That's one bet I'm not willing to partake on," Zabu replied, grinning at the young lion.

Zabu took one last good look down Chiku's mouth to make sure the medicine had gone down, and he then proceeded to examine Johari next.

"I don't have that many cuts in my body. I mostly received blows to the head..."

"Yes, I can see your left eye and cheek are a bit swollen, and you've also got some scratches here and there, but everything looks like it'll heal nicely. Do you have any pain? Now, don't try to hide it from me, I really need to know, so I can help you."

Johari shook her head. "Just the soreness you'd expect after such a tense fight. I'll be all right."

"One last chance..." Zabu said, looking intently at her.

Johari sighed and fidgeted for a moment. "Well... there's this sore... I... I might have bitten myself in the cheek, sometime after the fight," she admitted, feeling dumb for having injured herself while not even in battle.

"Let's take a look, can you open your mouth?"

Johari opened her muzzle wide, as if she was yawning, exposing the inside. The swelling in her cheek had probably caused the lioness to bite into the tender skin on the inside of her mouth.

Zabu gently applied a paste that would soothe the stinging. He then gave her a small stick to chew on, to help reduce the swelling on her face. "This will make you very drowsy, so don't be afraid if you start feeling a bit loopy."

Johari nodded as she chewed on the stick, which had a bit of a bittersweet taste. She pulled a face, not liking the flavor too much.

"If it's okay with the Ndogo lionesses, I suggest you spend the night here," Zabu added, "The young lioness should feel a lot better in the morning, and all you have to do now is make sure you keep that wound clean too from now on."

"They're welcome to stay as long as they want!" the lionesses replied.

Zende look quite excited too. "Can we stay tonight too, dad? I want to talk to her when she wakes up..."

Badawi thought for a moment, but he nodded in the end. "Okay, just don't bother her too much, deal?"

Johari thanked the meerkat by giving him a gentle nose-rub. "Thanks everyone for your help, I'd hate to think what could have happened if you guys hadn't come to our assistance."

"Don't mention it, glad I could help," Zabu replied, patting her paw a couple of times.

Badawi cleared his throat and addressed everyone present, "I say we let them rest for now. Maybe we can go hunting together, so that we have enough food for everyone in the morning. What do you say?"

The lionesses thought it was a good idea, especially now that there was enough food in the area.

Johari felt bad about forcing the Pride to go hunt extra food for them. She was about to suggest going along, now that Chiku was somewhere safe, but just as Zabu had warned her, her eyelids became rather heavy all of a sudden. She tried to stand up, but could not keep her balance very well.

"Just lie down," Zabu told her, "let the twig do its magic."

Johari had no other choice; there was no way she could participate in the hunt in this state. She simply nodded, and in just a couple of minutes she had already fallen in a very deep sleep.

The meerkat and the Ndogo pride said their good-byes and they parted ways. The lionesses went to plan the hunt along with Badawi, while the healer carried on with his journey to distant places in search for new plants to study. Zende stayed behind, keeping a watchful eye on both Johari and Chiku, but the excitement of today got the best of him, and it was no long after that he joined the two lionesses in a nap.

* * *

By the time Zende woke up again, the sun was already rising in the horizon. He shook his head sleepily and looked around. He spotted the lionesses from the Ndogo Pride lying not far away. A couple of them were keeping guard on the zebra they caught during the night. Badawi and Johari were also resting a few meters away, fast asleep.

Zende turned around and his heart skipped a beat when he saw Chiku was wide awake, and sitting up straight. He approached her nervously, feeling quite excited.

Chiku was looking around, feeling confused. She had no idea where she was and how she had gotten here. The last thing she remembered was Johari asking to stop for a break. She spotted Johari lying down nearby, and a few other lionesses scattered here and there. _Are we home? _she thought.

The lioness then focused on Zende, who was heading her way, looking submissive.

"Good morning, Chiku! Are you feeling better already?" Zende asked her, trying to sound confident, and failing.

Chiku couldn't help baring her teeth at him for a moment, making the lion look away instantly. "Where am I? And who are you?"

Zende proceeded to explain the reasons why she and Johari had ended up here. Chiku looked around once more and appeared to recognize the surroundings, feeling more reassured, knowing that they were not in danger. She lifted her foreleg and inspected the wound that she had missed to clean.

"Oh..." she said softly, "Wow. I don't even remember at what point I got scratched down there..."

Zende could feel that Chiku was no longer acting hostile, and he dared to come closer. "I bet you're really thirsty. Want me to lead you to the pond so you can get a drink?"

Chiku had to admit that her mouth and throat were parched. Her tongue was almost sticking to the roof of her mouth. "Yes, please."

"My name's Zende, by the way. If you need anything, anything at all, you can just ask me!"

Chiku nodded, looking at him as he led the way enthusiastically. He appeared younger than her, judging by the looks of his small tuft of a mane. As she walked, she noticed she still felt in pain, but this time it was concentrated in her wounds and sore muscles only. The overall feeling of unwellness had disappeared, much to her relief.

"It's not far," Zende told her after a while, eager to please, "We'll be there in no time."

Chiku and Zende reached the small pond that had finally refilled with the recent rainfall. The lioness bent over to drink, while Zende looked at her in admiration. He couldn't believe his luck, and he would certainly be boasting about having met Chiku in person to any other lion he would meet out there.

Once Chiku had had enough, she sat down and dried her muzzle with a paw. She then noticed Zende staring, and turned to look at him, causing him to look away instantly once again. Chiku had never met someone so submissive before, and wasn't too sure how to deal with the situation.

"Hey, you don't have to look away every time I look at you," she finally said.

"Sorry. It's just... I know it's not nice to stare... but I can't stop looking at you. You're so cool!"

Chiku grinned, feeling a bit flattered. "Keep staring, then. I don't mind."

Zende smiled, feeling less threatened now, and walked closer to her. "I was wondering... How long did it take you to get muscles like this?" he asked, intrigued, while examining her physique from up close. Chiku could tell that his expression was quite innocent, unlike the way Ubaya had been leering at her earlier.

"It's taken me my whole life," she replied, "I was still drinking my mother's milk, and I had just began eating meat, when my training started."

Zende's eyes opened wide in surprise. "Wow, that young? My dad's only started teaching me like a few days ago... And how many days do you practise?"

"We practise daily, although every now and then my mother gives me a day off to chill out with the other young lions in the Pride."

Zende's respect for Chiku grew tenfold. "No wonder you look so awesome... I don't think I could practise daily. I can barely stand my dad yelling orders at me as it is, let alone every single day!"

Chiku let out one of her usual bright, loud laughs, startling Zende, but he joined her too, chuckling slightly, not having expected such a silly laugh from such an imposing lioness.

"Do you really think I look awesome?" Chiku asked, looking at him with interest.

Zende only nodded in reply.

"Funny, I just heard really nasty things concerning my looks just a few days ago..."

"Whoever said that wishes they looked half as good as you do," Zende blurted out, blushing slightly.

Chiku gave him a warm grin. "You guys got it easy, you know. Male lions bulk up a lot easily than us females. As you can see, I've had to pay a big price for these..." she said, flexing her muscles for a second, enjoying his attention.

Zende shrugged. "It doesn't happen all the time. I dunno, with my luck, I'll end up looking just like my dad and his brother. They're both as thin as can be!" he said, sounding a bit discouraged.

Chiku looked at him, taking in his body shape. He was probably right. She smiled at him and said, "Hey, nothing wrong with being a skinny lion. Besides, I think I've seen enough bulky ones to last me a life time."

Zende looked at his own, slim body and smiled to himself. He then looked at Chiku again and ventured to ask, "Was it true, what they said? Were Ubaya and Kame, like, giants or something?"

"They were both very big and strong, especially Ubaya. I can't shake off the thought that my mom and I are really very lucky to be alive right now. There were lots of things that could have gone wrong, but eventually it all worked in our favor."

Zende listened without blinking. "Will you tell me all about the fight? I want to know all the details!"

Chiku looked at him, and shook her head. "You're too young to be listening to all that."

"Oh, come on. Look, I've got a mane already, see?" he said with a wide grin, bending his head forwards proudly, so that she could see the tuft on his head.

The lioness gave him a smile. "I'm sorry... I really don't feel like talking about it. Why don't you tell me about yourself instead?"

Zende understood and didn't push the issue further. "There's not much to tell... Dad and I are nomads now... Well, kinda. It's not like we're traveling anywhere..." he added, sounding slightly displeased, "Dad's just kinda sticking around, 'cause he's sure his brother doesn't have too long to live. The Pride will need Dad around, if that's the case..."

"Oh... So there's a chance you'll become Pride leader someday too, if that happens?"

Zende shrugged, not looking too enthusiastic. "Maybe... But I preferred the idea of traveling around a lot more."

"How about your mom? Didn't she want to come along?" Chiku asked.

"She would have loved to. But she fell ill and died not long ago. So it's just dad and me now..."

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Chiku said sincerely.

"It's okay," Zende said, smiling for a moment, "I dream of her often, so it's like she comes and visits me, you know?"

Chiku nodded in agreement, and fell silent, pondering the concept of someone dear coming to visit in a dream. She smiled at the thought. She hadn't lost a loved one yet, but she still found the idea very comforting.

"What about you?" Zende asked, "What are you up to when you're not practising? Do you have a lot of friends back at the Eyasi Pride?"

Chiku proceeded to tell him all about Damisi and the other young lions. She spoke about the games they used to play sometimes, and how nobody ever challenged her to a wrestling match, unless it was a dare of some sort. She still hadn't lost to any one of them.

Zende laughed along, as he pictured the scenario. "Sounds like you have fun friends all right."

He looked thoughtful for a moment, and then blurted out, "Do you have a mate already?"

The bluntness of the question took Chiku aback for a moment, but she smiled to herself. That was exactly the kind of questions she would ask, and that would make the other lionesses raise an eyebrow.

"No, I don't. I still feel kind of young and unprepared for all that. Besides, the males in the Pride are already taken and the only one who isn't, has probably left already, while we were gone."

"Ah, that's good, then," Zende replied, but didn't elaborate any further.

"Is it, now?" Chiku asked, amused at how direct the lion could be, once he was past the shy and submissive stage.

Zende smiled as he turned to her, nodding repeatedly. "That means I stand a chance, then!"

Chiku blinked a couple of times and wanted to burst into laughter, but she didn't, not wanting to offend Zende.

"Are you serious? You'd like to be my mate someday?"

"Sure! I know I'm still too young for all that stuff now, but, hey, I'll grow up sometime, right?"

Chiku snorted slightly. "By the time you grow up, you'll have forgotten all about me."

"No way," Zende replied, "Once I'm of age and all, I'll seek the Eyasi territory, and I'll look you up, and then I'll ask you to be my mate. And because I'll also be an awesome fighter, I'll challenge you to a wrestling match. But just for fun, huh? Not real fighting!"

Chiku could tell how young he really was, by his simplistic view of how things would work out in the future, but she appreciated it nonetheless. The truth was that Ubaya and Kame's words, and how they kept calling her ugly, continued to nag her in the back of her mind. It was refreshing to hear someone say they'd like her to be their mate, even if she felt she couldn't possibly take Zende seriously right now.

"All right, I guess I'll be seeing you then, if you don't change your mind in the meantime."

Both lions turned around when they heard someone approaching. It was Johari, who had finally awakened from her medicine-induced sleep, looking very groggy.

"There you are... Glad to see you up and running again," she said, before submerging her head into the water, trying to wake up fully.

Zende looked at Johari after the lioness had shaken herself dry, and told her, "Your eye's back to normal!"

"So I heard, the rest of the Pride already inspected my face," Johari replied, "They've also invited us to share their meal. Are you feeling more hungry now, Chiku?"

The lioness shrugged. "I guess I could eat a few bites..."

"Let's go then, they're waiting for us," Johari said, nuzzling Chiku, glad to see her healthy again.

The lionesses ate well, even Chiku, who was a lot hungrier than she initially thought.

Johari was hoping that she would be over her aversion of blood, but she discovered that winning the battle had not changed a thing; she still could not stand the smell. So as usual, she ate as quickly as possible, and stepped away from the carcass to clean herself.

Chiku joined her afterwards, while Zende followed her like a puppy.

"Let her be," Badawi called, "you've bothered her all morning already."

"He's not a bother," Chiku replied, making the young lion beam, "I've had a great time."

Johari began grooming Chiku, taking care as well of the infected wound, which was looking a lot better already. Chiku only winced slightly, but did not complain. She didn't want to look like a cry-baby in front of Zende, who held her in such a high regard.

"Do you want to stay one day longer, or do you feel like moving on?" Johari asked Chiku once she was done tending to her wound.

Chiku was really looking forward to go home, the sooner the better. She couldn't wait to see Damisi again, and now that the rogues were no longer a threat, she looked forward to finally concentrating on passing her hunting test and having her First Hunt, even if she had made her first kill already.

"Let's just go home," Chiku replied without hesitation.

Zende's ears drooped slightly, clearly disappointed that they would be leaving so soon, but he said nothing.

Johari and Chiku went to thank the lionesses and Badawi for their kindness and hospitality, and began saying good-bye. Chiku had left Zende as last, on purpose. She approached the sulking lion and gave him a nuzzle that startled him slightly.

"Did you really mean what you said?" Chiku said softly.

Zende looked at her and his eyes began sparkling once more. "What? You mean, going to look for you when I'm older?"

Chiku nodded. "Yeah. I need to know for sure, just in case I need to turn down any potential requests from other males," she added with a grin, and winked at him.

Zende stood up and gave her a heart-felt head-butt on her chin, making her jaws snap together with a loud click. "I really mean it! I will also try and practise more often to be a better fighter, just like you."

"Very well, just remember to have fun too sometimes, okay?" Chiku told him, and rubbed his head roughly with a paw.

"Ouch! Is this what I get? A noogie? Where's my good-bye kiss?" he said out loud, trying to sound indignant, but failing as he burst into laughter, followed by Chiku's noisy guffaws.

They finally stopped laughing and looked around to see that every lioness was looking at them now.

"Um," Zende said, feeling the blood rushing through his head with embarrassment, "Looks like they're waiting for us to kiss now, huh?"

"I'm not that much of a kisser, sorry," Chiku said, reaching out to give him another noogie, but Zende stepped away on time, laughing brightly.

Johari shook her head, smiling to herself and thinking, _looks like someone has a crush on my daughter...  
_

She then approached Chiku, and asked, "Are you ready to go?"

Chiku nodded, "Yes, let's go... Thanks again, everyone!"

The two lionesses resumed their journey back home, while The Ndogo Pride roared good-bye at them.

Zende in the meantime kept pacing to and fro, indecisively.

"Hey, Chiku! Wait!" he finally called, making the lioness stop and turn around for a moment.

Zende ran to her, and before Chiku knew it, he had already planted a warm and gentle lick on her cheek.

Chiku looked at him as she brought a paw to her face, touching the spot where she had just received her first kiss, but before she could say anything, Zende was already running away from her, away from the Ndogo Pride, and into the tall grasses in the distance.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

There are now more character sheets available at nichers . deviantart . com ! Feel free to pop by and check them out if you want to see what my lions and lionesses look like. :)

Thanks for all the comments so far! I hope you continue to enjoy the rest of the tale.


	12. Settling Back In

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 12: Settling Back In**

Johari and Chiku had been right about one thing: the news had traveled much faster than the lionesses did, and one fine morning the Eyasi Pride started to receive visits from all sorts of animals from around the area, all wanting to congratulate Chiku and Johari, and leaving disappointed when they found out the lionesses were nowhere nearby.

Adla had been the first one to find out about Johari and Chiku's success, having been informed by Liwe a while ago already, but she kept it a secret, so that whoever was trying to get them in trouble, wouldn't try to interfere with them again on their way back home.

Salehe had been extremely angry and protective of his lands, and was fiercely chasing the intruders away, but at some point the visitors just kept on coming, and it was too much for him and Faraji to handle all at once. When he asked them exasperatedly why everyone was ignoring his territorial marks, they told him that all they wanted was to get a glimpse of the two lionesses who had sent Kame and Ubaya packing.

Salehe couldn't believe his ears. Not only were they alive, but they also succeeded in their mission. He could not feel any prouder of them. He decided to gather the visitors in a group, and address them all at once, telling them Chiku and Johari were not back yet, and he had no idea when they would be. He then kindly asked them to stop trespassing, because he was not about to lower his guard.

When everybody had finally left, Salehe sat down, looking very tired, but content. The news that Johari was still alive had cheered him up immensely, and he couldn't wait to see her again. He kept scanning the horizon, ready to run and meet her at the first sign of her.

Kamaria had looked extremely surprised when she found out that Johari and Chiku had faced the rogues and lived to tell the tale, but in her defense, so did the rest of the lionesses. Everyone had pretty much assumed that they would not be coming back any more, so everyone's initial reaction was of general shock. Damisi was the only one who began crying in joy.

Adla had kept an eye on everyone closely, monitoring their reactions, but she took special interest in Kamaria. While the lionesses appeared to have reacted happy to this bit of news, Kamaria quickly excused herself, and retreated to her favorite spot by the hollow tree.

Adla followed her discretely and spied on her for a while, but Kamaria only remained in her hideout, not doing anything strange or unusual. All Adla could hear was her constant sobbing. She could understand why Kamaria was crying. Salehe had looked like he was back from the dead the moment he heard Johari was still alive, while all of Kamaria's efforts to please him and get the same reaction from him had gone completely unnoticed by the lion.

Adla got distracted from her thoughts when she heard someone else approaching. She crouched down close to the ground, unseen while hidden between the high grass around the area, and waited. It was Tisha, looking worried. Adla wondered if she should sneak away, but her curiosity got the best of her and decided to listen in to their conversation.

"Ah, I was hoping I'd find you here..." Tisha said, relieved to have found Kamaria.

"Please, I want to be alone," came Kamaria's muffled voice from inside the tree.

"You know I can't do that. I'm worried about you, especially now, considering the circumstances..."

"Tisha, please, just forget what I did, okay? I was angry, and I wasn't thinking straight."

"That's what worries me, given you're very angry and very sad right now. I can't risk letting it happen again," Tisha insisted, more firmly.

Adla pricked her ears to listen better, her heart racing as she tried to make any sense of what they were saying.

Kamaria crawled out of the hollow of the tree, looking quite upset.

"What do you think will happen now? What will be your approach?" Tisha asked, sitting down in front of her.

"I already know what I need to do. That has been clear to me since the day Johari left the Pride and Salehe went downhill after that. I just need to gather the courage to do it myself. No more beating around the bush. I will take the initiative, and won't let him nor Johari walk over me and my feelings."

Tisha nodded and nuzzled Kamaria, trying to comfort her. "I never thought they'd make it back. Surely those rogues were ten times stronger than them..."

Kamaria dried her face with a paw. "I can't help but admire their strength. I guess that's what Salehe sees in Johari... I know I was never his favorite, and now that he's had a taste of real love, what would he possibly see in me? And what does it matter anyway, it was not like I stood a chance, even with Johari gone. I was nothing to Salehe, you know that."

Tisha looked away, feeling upset at how defeated Kamaria sounded. This was not her friend speaking, this was not the strong lioness that led their Pride, nor the agile huntress. She had seen Kamaria this deflated before, and the consequences of it had not been pretty.

"Salehe just needs a reminder of what his place in this Pride is. Not only has he neglected you, but he's neglected all of us. If it hadn't been for Faraji, we would have been eaten by hyenas already," Tisha said, sounding upset, "Maybe we can all get together and let him see that we're very unhappy, and that he needs to get his head out of the clouds and start acting like the leader he's supposed to be, and that includes his commitment to you as his mate."

"It's not going to work. Just drop it, Tisha. If I can let it go, surely you can, too."

"As long as you don't go and do something stupid again-"

"I told you, it won't happen again! Now, drop it!" Kamaria growled, and ran away from her, looking more upset than before.

Tisha lingered by the hollow tree for a moment, cursing softly. Eventually she turned around and walked away with a determined look on her face.

Adla waited until she was sure both lionesses had left and finally stood up, trying to make sense of all this information. Why was Tisha so worried about Kamaria? The way Tisha spoke, it almost sounded as if Kamaria had dome something terrible, but what? Trying to murder Johari, perhaps? Also, what was Kamaria planning to do to stop Salehe and Johari from walking over her?

Adla was sure of one thing, and it was that Kamaria was hiding something that only Tisha knew about. Perhaps she could talk to Tisha and see if she could get her to share her secret somehow. She decided to engage her in conversation that same afternoon, but Tisha, usually in for a chat, had gone extremely quiet when Adla tried to steer the talk towards Kamaria and her situation, and trying to extract Kamaria's secret our of Tisha had been like trying to extract milk out of a rock. Adla eventually gave up, but she kept a close eye on them all the same.

* * *

Several weeks went by before Johari and Chiku finally were spotted on the outskirts of the Eyasi territory. Faraji roared loudly to alert the Pride, and Salehe had quickly ran to his side.

"Is it them?" he asked eagerly, while the rest of the lionesses gathered around them, scanning the horizon.

"Yes, I'm quite sure," Faraji replied, "Go stand on that rock, you'll see them clearly!"

Salehe climbed up on a nearby rock and noticed the silhouette of the two lionesses in the distance. It had to be them, since they were being followed by a group of animals, probably curious to take a look at the famous Eyasi fighters.

Salehe roared as loud as he could, making the lionesses in the distance break into a sprint. He could not contain his happiness any longer, and ran off to go meet them halfway, feeling alive and renewed again.

Damisi could not help herself and darted off after Salehe, sharing his excitement.

The rest of the Pride stayed behind and waited for them patiently, talking excitedly amongst each other, looking sincerely glad about them being back home.

Adla glanced at Kamaria quickly, but the lioness appeared calm and composed. Tisha stood by her side like a bodyguard, whispering a few words of comfort.

Johari and Chiku had heard the distant roar welcoming them home, and they couldn't help running towards Salehe's voice, even if they were tired from the long journey.

Johari had to admit to herself that she had missed Salehe greatly, although not in a romantic sense. She knew it was thanks to him that they could put up a fight against the rogues, and she was actually looking forward to give him a big, tight hug.

Once Salehe reached her, he pounced on her, knocking Johari down to the ground in the process. They tussled and turned on the grass, rolling around like overgrown cubs, embracing each other with their paws and rubbing their cheeks against each other repeatedly.

"I can't believe you're alive! You have no idea how miserable I've been, thinking you hadn't made it..." Salehe said, nuzzling her under the chin affectionately. He then turned to look at her, and seeing tears rolling down Johari's cheeks, made Salehe tear up as well.

They said nothing more. Johari had finally let go of herself, letting out all the tension, the fear and the pain she had been bottling up all this time. The lioness began sobbing loudly into Salehe's mane, like a scared child, and he simply nuzzled her gently, letting her cry on his shoulder for as long as she wanted. He held her close to him with a paw and rested his chin on her forehead, closing his eyes and crying silently along with her, telling her how much he loved her.

Chiku only watched them quietly, not wanting to interrupt this special moment, but suddenly she was also knocked down to the ground by Damisi.

"You're back! I can't believe this! We thought the animals were pulling our legs at first, but it's true!" she screamed, squealing in happiness.

Chiku laughed along, looking up at her. Damisi had never managed to pin her down, but today she was standing on top of her, and Chiku for once didn't fight it. She simply embraced her friend with four paws and they head-butted each other affectionately.

"You have no idea how much I missed you," Chiku said once they were done with their greeting ritual, drying a few tears away with her paws.

"Same here... When Adla said you had gone because you were in season I immediately knew something was wrong... And every day that went by, I waited and waited... I had given up on you already, so to see you here, sitting with me and doing fine..." Damisi said, and she also broke in tears, while a knot formed in her throat that made it difficult to speak.

Chiku nuzzled her once more. "I'm sorry... I was really hoping Adla's contacts would keep her up to date of our progress, and in turn, she would keep you updated too..."

"Adla's contacts?" Damisi asked, sniffing slightly and looking confused.

Chiku explained to her all about her diplomatic connections and how several animals had been passing messages through for her.

Damisi looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, if she knew anything, she kept it a secret. Kinda strange, don't you think? I would have really appreciated if she had told me you were alive," she said, sounding slightly upset.

"If she kept it secret, it was for a reason. Some things have happened that just don't add up. We're still trying to figure it out..."

Damisi perked up her ears, looking intrigued. "Oh, do tell!"

Chiku was about to say something when Salehe and Johari approached them. They both looked a lot calmer now, even though Johari's puffy eyes were still evidence that the lioness had finally broken down in tears.

"Welcome home, you too!" Salehe said brightly, giving Chiku a strong head-butt that made her lose her balance slightly.

Chiku grinned at him and returned the greeting with enthusiasm.

"Are you two coming with us?" Salehe added, heading towards the lair with Johari by his side.

Chiku nodded and whispered at Damisi, "I'll tell you all about it later..."

The four lions headed back to the rock formation where the rest of the Pride had been waiting for them. Chiku and Johari were greeted quite enthusiastically by almost everyone, but then it was turn to face Kamaria.

Tisha, who was still standing next to her, greeted them first.

"Wow... So you made it... Unbelievable," she said, eying Chiku and Johari's wounds and scars critically.

Johari nuzzled her quickly in greeting as well, but focused her attention on Kamaria, who was staring at them with a serious expression.

Kamaria had seen the way she and Salehe had embraced each other, and she was having a hard time keeping her jealousy in control. But the lioness took a deep breath and said calmly, "Welcome, glad to see you both made it back safe and sound."

Chiku, blunt as usual, replied, "Bet you thought we wouldn't be coming back, huh?"

Kamaria turned to the young lioness and her expression softened slightly. "I won't lie to you, I never thought you'd stand a chance against the rogues. But I stand corrected, so I sincerely apologize for doubting your skills. I guess you both are truly remarkable fighters. The Eyasi Pride is lucky to have such strong lionesses like you two."

Chiku and Johari looked at each other for a split second, when Kamaria went on, saying loudly so as to attract everyone's attention, "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm dying to hear what happened... Please, tell us all about it! How was the battle? And why did it take so long?"

All the lionesses nodded in agreement and gathered in a semi-circle around Chiku and Johari, looking at them expectantly.

Chiku looked at Johari uneasily, she wasn't sure she wanted to tell everyone all the details about what had had happened with Kame and Ubaya. Johari, sensing her discomfort, simply gave her a reassuring nuzzle and whispered, "I'll handle this."

Johari went on to tell them why they had traveled so far, and how the battle had gone, describing the rogues' strengths and weaknesses, and how the two of them had managed to bring them down in the end, with the aid of the hyenas in the area. She also mentioned the Ndogo Pride and how they had come to Chiku's aid.

Chiku smiled to herself as her mother easily skipped all the specific details concerning her going into season and almost giving herself to Ubaya, all the insults and threats that would still give them nightmares every now and then, as well as Johari's desire to torture them the same way they had done with Ishara.

It had been a very abridged version of what really happened, but the Pride seemed satisfied, and quite impressed at what they had achieved.

"You must be really hungry! We caught a zebra yesterday and there's still some meat left, what do you say? Care for a bite?" Gasira said, smiling at them.

Johari turned to her and finally realized that she was very heavy with cub. "Oh, look at you! I'm sorry I didn't notice it earlier, I was too overwhelmed! Congratulations!"

Gasira chuckled. "Don't worry! But yes, I'm due any moment now... I can't wait," she said, looking excited.

The lionesses kept talking animatedly while Johari and Chiku headed to the remains of the zebra. They began eating, while the rest of the Pride sat nearby, asking them questions about the battle and the distant places they had seen.

Once everyone had settled down, Kamaria then walked to Salehe, who was also lounging nearby, watching Johari intently.

"Could I have a word with you?" she asked, whispering in his ear.

"Right now?" Salehe replied, not even turning to look at her, his eyes still fixed on Johari.

"Yes, right now," Kamaria insisted.

Salehe let out a deep breath, and stood up reluctantly. He wanted nothing than to listen to Johari's voice nonstop, but for now that would have to wait.

They reached a secluded spot, and Kamaria sat down on her haunches, facing Salehe.

"All right, what's the matter?" he asked.

"Do you really have to ask?" Kamaria replied, as her eyes began to tear up. "I think it's pretty obvious to me. All these months I did nothing but try and take care of you and you never noticed my efforts. But one minute by that lioness' side was enough to bring you back to life. And you dare to ask me what's the matter?"

Salehe looked at her intently. She didn't look angry, she looked devastated, an expression he usually didn't see on her strong and stern features.

"I'm sorry, Kamaria... I know I pushed you aside, it was wrong of me." Salehe decided to finally be honest with her, and went on to say, "The thing is... I really love her, more than anything. To think that she was dead... I just couldn't take it. Nothing, not even someone as close to me as you are, could have gotten me out of that dip. I care for you, Kamaria, but my heart belongs to Johari."

Kamaria nodded, appreciating he was finally being honest with her instead of denying the obvious. "I guess she loves you back?" she asked, as a few tears rolled down her cheeks.

Salehe looked away. "No... She doesn't. She keeps rejecting my advances. Quite a conundrum, huh?"

Kamaria looked genuinely surprised. "Really? I thought... She-"

"We're very good friends, but that's all she wants me to be. Her spending her season with me was only a mistake; she had no desire for cubs at all. To her I'm a mentor, a teacher, a friend. I never managed to make her fall for me, no matter how hard I tried."

Kamaria bit her lip for a moment. "All this time I had been angry at her, thinking she was using those fighting lessons as an excuse to seduce you or something..."

Salehe shook his head. "She would never do such a thing. She respects you too much. As a matter of fact, she kept reminding me that what I was feeling for her was not meant to be, since I was already committed to you. She was the one who kept telling me to go to you whenever I felt like getting some physical relief, and she was very upset when I told her I wanted her as my mate. She thought it was a terrible idea and she even forbade me to break up with you."

Kamaria closed her eyes tight, remembering several times when Salehe had indeed requested mating with her, after having a lesson with Johari. She had not made the connection that it was because of Johari that he had felt 'in the mood'. Kamaria buried her claws in the ground, feeling even more used than before. She shook her head quickly and regained her composure, focusing on the matter at hand again.

"Well, thanks for finally being honest with me, and clearing up this whole Johari business. But this doesn't really change what I had wanted to say when I asked you to come here."

Salehe looked at her, pricking his ears, intrigued.

The lioness took a deep breath, and proceeded to make one of the most difficult and painful decisions in her life. "I brought you here to tell you that _I_ am breaking up with _you_," Kamaria said.

Salehe remained quiet, blinking at her in surprise. He had expected her to threaten him, to cry and play victim, to remind him of how they had been betrothed and he was not allowed to love other lionesses... But this, he had not seen it coming, at all.

"I can't stand being hurt like this anymore. Your indifference messed me up badly, Salehe. If it hadn't been for Tisha, you and I would not be having this conversation right now."

"What do you mean?" Salehe asked, tilting his head, looking confused.

Kamaria's chin began to quiver as she muttered, "I- I had asked a leopard to give me the killing bite..."

Salehe's eyes opened wide, and he was at a loss of words.

"Tisha happened to find us," she went on, trying hard not to cry, "and she scared him off before he could go through with it."

The lion could not believe his ears. If she hadn't said she wanted to break up first, he would have even thought that Kamaria was simply trying to blackmail him into staying together. But there was something in Kamaria's defeated look that made Salehe believe what she was saying was true.

"I'm so sorry, Kamaria, I'd never thought you'd go to those lengths because of me..."

Kamaria snorted slightly. "I'd have done everything for you Salehe... I've been busting my back to try and make you happy all these years, but no matter what I do, I know now that it will never be enough. So before I fall into the same hopeless despair that drove me to try to kill myself, I've decided to distance myself from you. So as of now, you're officially mate-less. I am giving you the freedom to go and do whatever you wish with any other lioness of the Pride. But I am not going to tend to your needs anymore, I will sleep in another niche, and don't you even dare come to me for relief when Johari makes you all horny and refuses to mate with you."

Salehe let out a deep breath, taking in her words. He eventually looked up at her and nodded, accepting her terms.

"One more thing," Kamaria said as she turned around, ready to leave, "You'll make the announcement and you will explain to everyone why I'm stepping down from my position as leader."

Salehe had no time to reply, Kamaria had quickly left the area, holding her head up high.

* * *

When the lion returned to the lair and notified the rest of the lionesses that Kamaria was no longer his mate and leader, no one, but Tisha and Johari, looked really surprised.

Salehe's feelings towards Johari had been more than obvious, and everyone knew Kamaria had been very unhappy lately. The way Salehe and Johari greeted each other earlier that day must have been the drop that made the glass spill for Kamaria.

"I can't believe she did that... You meant everything to her!" Tisha said out loud, genuinely surprised.

"I know," Salehe said, giving her a meaningful look as he placed a paw on her shoulder, "I also know you were of great help to her..."

Tisha shook off his paw, looking angry at him. "You _know_?" she snarled, "And you still didn't even try to stop her from breaking up with you and running away, knowing how vulnerable she is right now?"

Salehe looked at her slightly shocked. No one had ever seen Tisha angry before. "She seemed fine to me-"

"Oh, I bet she did! Like you'd even care! Listen, if something happens to my best friend, I'm holding you both responsible, you hear?" Tisha said, looking at Salehe and Johari, and she ran away in search of Kamaria.

Johari watched her go, looking sad. She could partially understand Tisha's reaction and anger towards her; Salehe would have to pick a new mate, and Johari was completely certain it would be her, regardless of whether she has feelings for him or not. However, she had no idea what vulnerabilities Tisha was talking about; Kamaria had always appeared strong and confident

Adla also looked at them puzzled, and asked Salehe, "What was that all about? Is everything okay with my mother?"

"Yes, she will be fine. Please let it go, Adla. This is between Kamaria, Tisha and myself. The rest of you, please, don't go and question Kamaria about this. Things are difficult and awkward enough already."

The lionesses nodded, acknowledging his request for discretion. Salehe then walked away, wanting to be alone for a moment, to organize his thoughts.

One by one the lionesses retreated to their usual resting spots, leaving Chiku, Damisi, Johari and Adla alone.

"Hey, do you want to go to sleep already, or do you feel like a short walk with me?" Damisi asked Chiku.

"Well... I've been walking all day... What do you say we just flop down somewhere and catch up?" Chiku replied.

Damisi smiled and nodded in agreement. They both walked far away from the lair, and lay down together where they could talk freely without keeping everyone awake. Chiku talked a bit more about the fight, confiding in Damisi and letting her know in detail what the rogues had done and said.

Damisi listened intently, cursing at the rogues loudly, and feeling extremely grateful that her friend made it back home safely after all.

Chiku also told her all about Zende, and his little crush on her, and her little crush on him. Damisi thought it was all extremely adorable. She was glad that he had managed to somewhat raise Chiku's self-confidence, and she vowed to keep an eye on the borders, just in case he made an appearance.

Chiku slapped her playfully on the face, knowing she'd probably never see Zende again. But then she became serious again, when she told Damisi about their suspicions of sabotage.

Damisi reacted surprised and enraged. She agreed she would also keep an eye on every lioness in the Pride, and would notify her of any strange activities going on.

The two lionesses carried on talking deep into the night, and finally fatigue caught up with Chiku. She snuggled up next to Damisi and held her close. Damisi smiled at her, looking slightly surprised, since Chiku had never been this affectionate before. Damisi could tell Chiku had really missed her.

"By the way, did Adla ever give you my message?" Chiku asked, yawning loudly.

"She did, on the day she also had lost all hope of seeing you guys back. It warmed up my heart, and I also happen to feel the same way. You're like a sister to me too, and I love you very much."

Chiku gave her a sleepy grin and closed her eyes. Damisi did the same, holding Chiku tight and keeping her warm as she slept.

In the meantime, Adla also took Johari aside for a quick conversation before she went to sleep. Adla filled her in on her conversations with Liwe, and Johari told her how Kame had suggested that Meru, the black heron, had been passing information on to them, but against his will.

Both lionesses knew that the missing key that would help in solving the mystery is Meru, but so far no one had been able to locate him nor his family anywhere.

* * *

As days went by, Chiku and Johari did their best to resume the Pride's routine. They were not dedicating every day to fighting any more, although they would still practise, so as not forget all they had learned in the meantime.

Johari still could not get rid of the feeling that there was something missing in her life now. The fighting lessons seemed devoid of meaning now that the rogues were taken care of. She knew that her combat training would still come in handy, but she still felt her life had no real direction for the time being. Johari kept missing Ishara more than ever, and the anger that had been driving her all this time had finally left her, leaving only sadness and emptiness behind.

Chiku, on the other hand, finally had enough time to concentrate on her hunting training, and when she finally took her Hunting Test, she passed it with excellent marks.

Salehe still had not made the announcement concerning his new mate. Tisha's words had made him worried, and he decided not to rush into things, until he was sure that Kamaria would take things calmly and would not try and endanger herself once again.

Kamaria had kept her distance with him, as agreed, but she still participated in the hunt, and sometimes she even looked slightly liberated. Now that she was not tending to Salehe, it felt as if she had way too much time to spare, so she would dedicate herself to teaching Adla and taking long, relaxing walks with Tisha.

Kamaria had felt a certain hostility coming from her daughter, and she could not figure out why. Adla denied it when she was confronted by her, but Kamaria could tell that she was not her usual self. She seemed reserved, and would rarely discuss with her her new ideas and suggestions to improve the Pride's life. Kamaria didn't push the issue further and gave her daughter some space, assuming that she was upset because of her separation from Salehe.

Gasira had already retreated to give birth, and she returned a couple of weeks later, presenting one healthy male cub to Salehe and the rest of the pride.

"There were two females too, but they were extremely weak, and had no strength to nurse... There was nothing I could do for them," Gasira said, crying for her babies.

"We're sorry to hear that..." Salehe said, nuzzling her gently while looking down at the little male cub that had managed to survive.

Once Gasira had calmed down, the lion asked her, "Did Hadithi choose a name for him, before he left?"

Gasira dried her face quickly and smiled again. "He gave me a few names to choose from, but his favorite was Safi, so Safi it is."

Chiku and Johari looked at each other in surprise, they had no idea that Hadithi was the father of this cub.

Damisi noticed, and whispered while winking at them, "I'll explain how this happened later..."

"Welcome to the world, Safi," Salehe said, nuzzling the little, orange cub carefully. He was peacefully asleep, and didn't wake up despite all the attention he was getting.

As the Pride admired the beautiful cub, Faiza, who had been scouting the borders, approached Johari, rolling her eyes slightly.

"Hey, Johari... There's yet more fans of you at the border, asking if they can talk to you..."

The Eyasi Pride still received unexpected visitors from animals who wanted to meet Chiku and Johari, and the Pride was getting weary from all the intrusions. Johari and Chiku didn't mind at all, and they were always quick to go and greet whoever thought them important enough to pay them a visit.

Chiku would not be able to come along this time, since she would be having her First Hunt, so Johari decided to go greet the strangers on her own. She wished Chiku good luck before leaving, knowing for certain that she would be able to hunt something nice and big for everyone to eat.

Johari made her way to the borders, looking thoughtful. Despite everything that happened, Kamaria had been acting less hostile towards her than before, and she even included her in her team during the last hunting session.

She was still pondering about that, when she saw the shapes of two lionesses far away, the heat making them shimmer in the distance.

Johari approached them with curiosity. As she got closer, she could see that one of the lionesses looked pretty battered. She kept her ears folded backwards, which gave her a bit of an aggressive look, but the lioness' tail was deeply tucked in between her legs, and she was avoiding eye contact at all costs, so Johari didn't feel threatened.

"Hi there, nice to meet you! I'm Johari. My daughter Chiku can't be here right now, as she's about to go on her First Hunt," she greeted them cordially.

"Oh, that's a shame. Still, it's an honor to meet you, Johari... My name's Afia and this is my younger sister, Yamile."

Johari lay down on her belly invitingly, and the other two lionesses followed, although Yamile seemed to have a stiff back leg, and sat down in an awkward position, stretching the leg outwards. She still avoided eye-contact and snuggled close to Afia, looking for comfort.

"Have you traveled far?" Johari asked them, trying to sound as friendly as possible to reassure the scared lioness that she meant no harm.

"Have you heard from the Nyaga Pride?" Afia said.

Johari tilted her head, looking thoughtful. "The name rings a loud bell... I know I heard it before..."

"We were the target of Kame and Ubaya too, long time ago."

"Oh, yes, I remember now!" Johari exclaimed, "They said one of your pride-mates got tortured to death for not disclosing the cubs' location... Is that right?"

"Almost..." Afia said, and glanced towards Yamile, who was still trying to make herself as small as possible, snuggling close to her. "Only the lioness in question didn't die."

Johari's eyes opened wide and looked at Yamile with added respect and admiration. She now noticed that her ears were not folded back, she simply didn't have any. They had been chewed off.

"I see... Why did you bring her here?" Johari asked softly, not sure that confronting Yamile with the memories of that day was such a good idea.

"There are not many things that will get you a positive reaction from Yamile. She barely talks, she lies down and stares ahead most of the time. But when news about what you had done reached our ears, believe it or not, Yamile asked me if I could bring her here to meet you. Perhaps she can finally get some closure this way..."

Johari looked at Yamile. She appeared to be about her age, but the way she was cowering made her look a lot younger. Johari recognized some of the wounds on her body, they were the same kind of wounds inflicted upon Ishara, only healed over time. However, Yamile still had both eyes, and only her left forepaw seemed to be completely damaged beyond healing.

Johari ran a paw softly down the lioness' cheek, making her wince and cower even more.

"Hey... It's all right, I won't hurt you. I'm only curious, how did you manage to keep both of your eyes intact? How did you survive?"

Yamile turned to look at her for a moment but remained quiet.

"You can trust her," Afia encouraged her, "We came all the way here, and now you won't talk to her? Come on, don't be shy."

Yamile sighed and looked at Johari again, who was smiling warmly at her. "I play dead," she finally uttered, with extreme difficulty. Her vocal chords seemed to be in order, but her speech was strange, it almost sounded as if she was trying to talk with her mouth full.

Afia proceeded to elaborate, "Yamile loved swimming and diving. She swam every day, and learned to hold her breath for a very long time. It was long enough to fool those two. They lost interest, and left her for dead."

Johari nodded, thinking it had been quite a clever idea.

"You know? There's a lake here nearby, if you feel like taking a swim..." she told Yamile, hoping to break the ice.

The scared lioness shook her head.

Johari pondered how to try and break her shell. She hesitated for a moment, but ventured to ask, "Do you want to hear about how we killed Kame and Ubaya?"

Yamile looked at her, and for the first time, her scared look changed into a determined one. She nodded quietly, and while she was not looking at Johari in the eye, she still kept gazing in her general direction, which reassured Johari.

Johari began retelling the story for what felt like the hundredth time already, but this time, she was not withholding any details concerning the fight itself. She took care in not mentioning the rogues' taunts and threats, but she described every move, every attack, every kick and every bite Johari and Chiku had administered with painstaking detail. By the time she had reached the part when the hyenas got involved, Yamile was looking at her with wide eyes, like a cub listening to an exciting bed-time story.

Johari finished the story describing how Chiku had given the bite that put an end to the fight.

Both Afia and Yamile sighed deeply, the latter looking quite relieved.

"Dead... Not coming back, huh? Dead!" she mumbled, her features brightening up as a smile spread through her face.

Johari grinned in return, realizing that Yamile was actually a very pretty lioness, now that she looked more at ease. "That's right! We can all sleep safe and sound again."

Yamile relaxed her muscles slightly, leaning against Afia, who chuckled at her and gave her a gentle nuzzle, wrapping a paw around her protectively. "See? I told you they were gone! Do you believe me now?"

Yamile nodded and closed her eyes, looking content. She fell into a light sleep not long after, looking more peaceful than before now that her tense muscles had relaxed completely.

"Poor thing, she didn't sleep a blink yesterday. She was really nervous about meeting you, but just as I thought, it's done her some good..." Afia said, caressing Yamile with a paw softly.

"I hope you don't mind me asking... Why does she have that strange accent?" Johari asked her.

"That's because she's missing half of her tongue."

Johari's ears folded back as she snarled slightly, "Let me guess... It was the rogues' doing?"

Afia nodded, glancing at Yamile with a sad expression. "What I understood was that Ubaya told her she was being too rough with her grooming, and he punished her for it. As a result, Yamile can't clean herself very well, and talking is very difficult. She gets very frustrated because half the time no one understands what she's trying to say. Her speech also makes everyone think she's not quite right in the head, and they tend to talk back at her as if they were talking to a cub who's just learning how to speak. So Yamile prefers to keep quiet, if she can help it... All this makes her extremely sad, because she was, and still is, a very smart lioness. That's one of the few things the rogues did not take away from her."

Johari sighed deeply. She didn't know why, but she was experiencing an intense desire to protect this lioness, to make her feel safe and secure and to help her regain her confidence again.

"Anyway, we've inconvenienced you enough already, we should get going..." Afia said, shifting slightly.

"No, no! It's no problem at all. Besides, she's just fallen asleep, let her rest some more. I was thinking.. Wouldn't you like to spend the night here?" Johari offered, knowing the Nyaga Territory wasn't really close.

Afia shook her head. "Thanks, that's really sweet of you, but the whole Pride has been forced to move out of our territory, due to a fire. So we're staying somewhere else for the time being, a bit close by, until we can return. We're currently settled over there, by that baobab," she added, pointing in the direction of a distant tree.

"I see... Well, you're welcome to pop by any time. I'd love to get to know Yamile better."

Afia smiled, and then pricked her ears when she heard some roaring in the distance.

"Ah... my daughter must have returned from her First Hunt. From the sounds of it, she succeeded!" Johari said enthusiastically.

Afia nodded. "Go to her, and congratulate her for me, please. Yamile's a very light sleeper, so we won't be trespassing here for too long," she said.

Johari gave Afia a quick nuzzle. "Thanks for coming, and I'll see you two again soon," she said, and walked away, glancing over her shoulder towards Yamile, who was still peacefully asleep.


	13. Finding Happiness

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 13: Finding Happiness**

Chiku's successful First Hunt proved to be very beneficial to the hunting party. The lioness was a fast and swift killer, and she was extremely good in pinning animals down. More often than not, if the hunting party split into teams, play-fights would break over who would get Chiku this time. She was so strong that it almost felt as if a male had been aiding the team, allowing them to hunt bigger game, such as fully grown wildebeest.

But it was also around that time when the Pride discovered that despite Chiku's multiple qualities, she totally lacked the abilities of a good cub-sitter. They had left her in charge of Safi one day, but the lioness, having had little interaction with her friends as cubs, and never having even seen a baby before, was absolutely clueless as to how to keep Safi calm and entertained.

When the hunting party returned, they were shocked to find Safi crying his lungs out, calling for his mom, while a very desperate Chiku paced madly to and fro while yelling at him loudly to shut up before she stuffed a coconut up his mouth.

She hadn't meant a word of it, but that went to show just how little patience she had for cubs. Chiku was supposed to tire Safi up with games, but instead, the cub had spent all day sitting down. If he dared to walk away from his spot, Chiku would snarl at him and would prop him back in his place. So by the time the tired huntresses tried to settle down and rest, Safi was still full of energy, and kept them all awake as he playfully nipped on their tails and climbed on their backs.

Gasira had been very upset about what happened. She couldn't get rid of the image of her little son cowering from Chiku's loud yelling. Although Chiku sincerely apologized to her later, Gasira never trusted Safi to Chiku again, and the Pride couldn't really hold it against her. Since then, Chiku never cub-sat Safi again, but whenever he was misbehaving, they would tell him, _'If you keep this up, we'll call Chiku!' _and that was enough for the cub to rectify his behaviour.

Chiku, who initially felt bad for disappointing the lionesses, eventually found this all quite amusing, and would sometimes even tease Safi a little bit, by walking by and asking him whether he was behaving well or not. The cub always did his best to be nice and polite whenever she was around, and she would reward him with a rough, yet playful pat on the head.

Johari, in the meantime, had kept her promise and often paid visits to the Nyaga Pride. She was happy to see that Yamile had warmed up to her in the meantime. Yamile always seemed happy to see her, although she didn't dare to speak much to her yet. Johari didn't mind, and would talk to her for hours, about everything and nothing, and Yamile always listened intently to her.

It had been during her last visit that Johari had found out, with pain in her heart, that the wounds that Ubaya and Kame had left on Yamile went way beyond physical.

The two lionesses had been sitting together, while Johari told her an amusing story of her cubhood. Yamile was calm and relaxed, but her demeanour changed suddenly when the male leader of the Nyaga Pride happened to walk by. He had simply been doing his rounds, and hadn't even come close to where they were sitting, but at the sight of him, Yamile appeared to shrink in front of Johari's eyes. She covered what was left of her ears with her paws, and released her own urine out of sheer fright. The lioness was completely terrified, and Johari could not get Yamile to open up to her again.

Afia had come looking for her sister some time later, and found her still curled into a ball, soiled and trembling. Johari explained to her what had happened, and Afia nodded understandingly, not looking surprised. She told Johari that this tended to happen at the sight of a male, and sometimes even at the sight of their own leader, although that was less common.

Between Johari and Afia they managed to convince the shocked lioness that she was not in danger, and once Yamile began nuzzling Afia repeatedly, Johari let out a deep breath of relief. She helped Afia clean Yamile up, and returned to the Eyasi lair afterwards, her mind going over and over what had happened.

_She'll never be able to find a mate, even if there's any one out there willing to look past her handicaps and troubled past. I can't think of anyone more deserving of love right now, and she'll probably never get it... _Johari mused, cursing the unfairness of the situation. She was not sure why this affected her so deeply. Perhaps because, had Ishara survived, she would look and behave a lot like Yamile.

She stopped on her tracks when she came to a realization. _She doesn't need a male to get by. She seems to be doing better under the tender care of a female... I could care for her. I want to care for her.  
_

Johari's heart began racing. All she had wanted lately was to be with Yamile and help her out. She even started ditching fighting lessons if it meant she could spend one afternoon in Yamile's company. The desire to protect and care for her had increased day by day, and nothing made her day better than seeing Yamile's face lighting up in one of those rare smiles that she would give every now and then.

By the time Johari had reached the lair, her heart was screaming at her to go back to the Nyaga Pride, just to see Yamile again and ask her if she was feeling any better now. Johari finally understood how Salehe must feel about her, and she couldn't help but feel extremely sorry for him, because now, more than ever, she was absolutely certain that she would never be able to return his feelings. She had fallen in love with someone else.

* * *

Adla had woken up quite early one morning, and since she could not fall asleep again, she decided to go for a walk. The sun was not out yet, so she enjoyed the twilight's fresh and moist air.

The lioness walked distractedly, although her thoughts kept going over how calm the life in the Pride had been since Johari and Chiku had returned. She was even wondering if she should give up on trying to unravel the mystery of Meru's betrayal, after all, everyone seemed to be living in peace now. Even Kamaria appeared content, although she still missed Salehe greatly, and had difficulty hiding it sometimes. On those difficult days, she would then retreat to her hollow tree, hoping to be left alone, although Tisha would always go to check on her.

Adla was still pondering about that, when she noticed that there were a couple of lions, not too far ahead. She narrowed her eyes to try and see them better. She could identify a male and a couple of females, and perhaps a cub or two.

Adla would have ignored them, but they were way too close to the border, so she decided to check it out. As she walked closer, she thought she recognized one of the voices, and her heart felt as if it had dropped all the way to her stomach. It was Hadithi.

The lioness ran to meet him excitedly, but slowed down when she realized that all those lionesses around him were probably his new family.

Adla stopped on her tracks and doubted whether to go greet him after all, but it was too late. Hadithi had seen her already, and he crossed the border, while the females waited behind with the cubs.

"Hey! Adla!" he called enthusiastically.

Adla had no other choice but to go to him, keeping her chin up. "Hey, stranger... What are you doing back here?"

"We were just passing by, and I thought I'd quickly check to see if Gasira's cubs had been born already..."

Adla nodded. "About a moon ago, more or less. She had three cubs, but two of them, both females, didn't make it. She named the survivor Safi, just like you asked her."

Hadithi smiled for a moment, repeating the name softly to himself.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to those lionesses?" Adla asked, determined to show him how strong and confident she was.

Hadithi looked at her and whispered, "Um... Sure, if you really want to meet them..."

"Sure, why not?" Adla shrugged, trying to appear calm and nonchalant, glad that he could not see how fast her heart was beating just at the sight and scent of him. He was even more handsome now than she remembered him.

Hadithi shrugged, assuming that she had already gotten over her feelings for him. He turned around and walked to the lionesses.

"Adla, meet my new Pride. This is my mate Mke, and these are her sisters, Mwanga, Utamu and Wingu. Everyone, this is Adla, one of my closest friends back when I still was with the Eyasi Pride."

Adla tried hard not to frown. He talked as if he had been gone for ages already, while barely three or four moons had passed. She glanced at Mke, who was a young and very good-looking lioness. Adla felt a twinge of jealousy, and for the first time, she was able to relate to how Kamaria must feel towards Johari.

The lionesses greeted Adla politely, while two small cubs peered at her from between Mke's legs.

"And the little ones?" Adla asked, smiling at them.

"They're our cubs," he said proudly, while Mke smiled broadly, "The creamy one is my daughter, Ishara. Mke was sweet enough to name her after my mom. The darker one is my son, Mwezi"

Adla looked at the cubs intently. They couldn't be much younger than Safi. Adla did a few calculations in her mind, but it all pointed to the fact that Hadithi had moved on and found a mate way too quickly for her taste, while she still rejected Faraji and dreamed every single night of eloping and forming a Pride with Hadithi somewhere far away.

She knew for sure now that Hadithi really never felt anything for her, other than physical attraction, and he even kept that at bay, for the sake of his friendship with Faraji. In Adla's mind, she could see Hadithi practically mounting the first lioness that happened to walk in front of him, right after he crossed the border.

"Wow, congratulations, they're both beautiful," she finally said, putting all her diplomatic lessons to the test, keeping calm, polite and composed, while she was actually looking forward to slap him hard on the face.

"Thank you!" Hadithi replied, completely oblivious to Adla's inner turmoil, "Anyway, we gotta keep going. I just wanted to know how Gasira had pulled through... Please send her and everyone else my regards, and give Faraji a head-butt for me, will you?"

"Yes, I'll tell them. It was nice to see you again. Good bye, and take care," Adla said, still smiling to them, while in the inside her heart was breaking once more. She still had hoped that something would work out between them if she were to ditch her position in the Pride and run away, but seeing Hadithi so happy with his new family and not missing her at all, had certainly put an end to that.

She waited until Hadithi's little Pride had disappeared in the distance, before letting her sorrow show. She couldn't stop the tears from coming, and it was now that she realized she had to give up on her dream. Hadithi was gone, and that was that.

Adla cried for a long time, until she could not cry anymore. She felt devoid of all emotion, and it was in that state that she went to seek Faraji.

She found him investigating a couple of holes on the ground, looking slightly worried.

"Watch out," he said when he noticed Adla approaching, "I just saw a snake crawling around here. It's already the third one I spot, so I think there might be a nest nearby."

Adla ignored his warning and stated simply, "I'm ready to seal our bond."

"What?" Faraji forgot all about the snake and approached her, tilting his head, looking confused. "Um, don't you prefer to wait until you're actually in season? It should be less uncomfortable for you then..." he said, sniffing her neck for a moment just to make sure that she was not yet in a receptive mood.

"You know I don't have any feelings for you, Faraji. So it'll be uncomfortable whether I am in season or not. But it's about time I step up to my responsibility as future leader of the Pride. I've procrastinated enough." _All for nothing... _she thought.

Faraji sighed deeply, looking thoughtful. Adla had never made it a secret that she didn't love him, and he had confided in her too recently, telling her that he was actually in love with Bahiya instead. Adla had even tried to persuade him to break the rules, just like Salehe had done with Kamaria, and run away with Bahiya. But Faraji refused, stating that what his father had done was not what a good leader would do. He had let his mate and the rest of the Pride down by ditching his responsibilities for one lower-ranked lioness that doesn't even love him back. Faraji had not approved of any of that.

"Okay..." Faraji told Adla at last, "If you're so sure about this... Hmm, why don't we meet tonight by the tall bushes around the hunting grounds-"

"I want to do it now," Adla demanded, thinking to herself, _before I get cold feet again..._

Faraji swallowed with difficulty. "Huh? Now? But-"

The lion interrupted himself when he saw Adla turning around and presenting herself to him. While he didn't love her, he could not deny that Adla was quite a good-looking lioness, and his body seemed to agree, urging him to go forward.

Faraji shook his head quickly, regaining his composure, while feeling the blood rushing to his face. "Right here? Are you crazy?" he exclaimed, "You do realize that even little Safi can see us from here, right?"

Adla grunted slightly, knowing he was right. Without a word, she simply walked to a more sheltered area, where the bushes and grass would provide them more privacy.

Faraji watched her go, visibly nervous about his very first time assisting a female. Not that he would be able to make Adla feel good, in her current state, but still. The lion took a deep breath, and went after her, his legs shaking already in anticipation.

* * *

The Pride had celebrated the fact that Faraji and Adla had finally sealed their engagement, and Salehe could not feel any prouder. His son had turned out to be a great lion and he was sure he would have no problems in leading the Pride some time. Even Kamaria looked happy for them, and had joined in the joyous roaring that accompanied the occasion.

Chiku and Damisi kept making gagging motions whenever they saw them together, but they were careful not to be seen, although their constant explosions of laughter made Faraji think that they were being the subject of one of their jokes again. Adla ignored them this time, already used to Chiku and Damisi's taunting. She knew they were all in good fun.

Chiku also noticed that Johari kept leaving the Pride often. She once asked her where she kept going, and Johari admitted that she had established a good friendship with one of their admirers, and she quite enjoyed spending time with her. Chiku was glad that her mom had made a good friend, which meant less fighting lessons for the time being. Chiku still practiced on her own, but instead of endless, long and tiresome practice sessions, she'd slash a few trees here and there, and would go back to Damisi to relax and have fun.

Johari had all the intentions to visit the Nyaga Pride one afternoon, after the hunting party had successfully brought down a wildebeest for lunch. After warning Chiku she'd be gone for a while, the lioness set off in the direction of the nearby baobab, but her stomach made a turn when she saw what looked like Yamile's silhouette in the distance, walking towards her.

Johari rubbed her eyes with a paw to make sure she was not having visions, but the distinct, slow gate of the limping lioness was unmistakable. What was she doing there, and on her own? Did something happen to Afia?

Johari could not contain her curiosity any longer and darted in the direction of Yamile, who looked quite happy to see her.

"Hi, Yamile! What are you doing here? Where's Afia?"

"In season," Yamile tried to enunciate. She was now more comfortable with the idea of talking to Johari, although she still stuck to very short phrases, and sometimes body language.

Johari chuckled, looking relieved. "Oh, I see. So you decided you'd pay me a visit, while she's, um, occupied?"

Yamile nodded, and gave Johari a warm nuzzle as greeting, that made Johari's legs feel as if they were made of rubber.

"Well, that was such a surprise. I was just getting ready to go visit you!"

Yamile shook her head. "My turn."

Johari smiled broadly. This meant the world to her. Yamile didn't venture far on her own, being afraid of rogues, and knowing her broken paw makes her quite vulnerable to other predators. But she must have been missing Johari quite a lot to get over her fear and try to seek her.

"Well, let's go find some shade, come on."

Johari walked at Yamile's pace as they headed towards a couple of nearby acacias, and they settled down underneath, sheltering themselves from the searing sun.

"Phew, quite a hot day today, huh?" Johari said.

Yamile nodded, panting slightly. Johari knew it must have taken her a huge effort to come all the way here, so she tried to make it up to her. "Would you like me to give you a grooming session? You'll feel all nice and refreshed after a bath," she offered.

Yamile turned to look at her, looking hesitant. Grooming in general brought nasty memories to her mind, and only Afia had ever been able to keep her clean, without her having a panic attack. Yamile shook her head, staring intently at Johari, ready to scurry in case she were to insist.

Johari had already learned to recognize the signs that indicated Yamile felt uncomfortable. It usually started with her pupils dilating completely, regardless of how much daylight there was around her, and that's just what had happened now.

Getting the message, Johari didn't push it further, and kept calm, hoping she could transmit the feeling on to her. "All right, it's okay, maybe we'll just go have a drink, after we've rested for a bit. How does that sound?"

Yamile seemed to relax once Johari didn't pursue grooming any further, and nodded. Her pupils slowly went back to normal, as she looked up at a couple of vultures that were circling the sky nearby.

Johari rested her chin on her paws, and simply stared ahead, looking content and enjoying keeping Yamile company. "Does Afia know you were coming here?"

Yamile let out a soft chuckle and shook her head. "She said stay put."

"Uh oh... I hope your Pride-mates won't get worried when they see you're gone."

Yamile shook her head again, still staring up at the sky. "They won't. They don't care. I'm burden."

Johari looked at her. That was the longest sentence she'd ever heard her speak, and it was full of sadness and pain.

"Without Afia, I die," she went on, looking down at her mangled front paw and stiff hind leg.

"No, you won't," Johari told her firmly, "If anything happens to her, I'll take good care of you."

Yamile grinned at Johari. "You? Why?"

"I just want to. I like spending time with you. Would you mind if you were under my care?"

Yamile chuckled again, and shook her head after some consideration.

"Besides," Johari went on, "I think you and I have become good friends, and we also got a few things in common. You know the most obvious one..." she said, pointing with a claw at some of her scars, some of them so deep that no hair was growing on top of them any more.

Yamile nodded, sighing deeply. "What else?"

"You and I both hate grooming," Johari said, much to Yamile's surprise.

"You too?"

"Oh yes, I'm not too good at it, they say I keep rushing it all the time, but I like to get it done fast. My Pride-mates prefer long, extensive sessions, but I get bored after a minute or two. My daughter's the same, by the way. She starts licking, quick, quick, quick, and done."

Yamile was smiling broadly again, so Johari kept on going, "And there's something else I discovered only recently, but I'm not sure if I can tell..."

"Secret?" Yamile asked, looking very intrigued.

Johari could tell by how the base of Yamile's ears had moved, that if she still had ears, she'd have them pricked and alert.

"Yes, sort of... Do you promise not to tell?"

Yamile nodded, and leaned forward, looking curious.

"I discovered I don't care much for males either..." Johari whispered.

Yamile shifted her weight, looking slightly nervous all of a sudden. "No mate, then?"

Johari looked at her, sensing her change in mood, but Yamile's eyes looked normal, and she didn't look distressed. "No... I've realized that I am strong enough, and I know I could actually take good care of a Pride of my own, even if we're only lionesses."

Yamile looked thoughtfully at Johari's firm muscles, not questioning her leading abilities even for a second. She certainly was strong, and Yamile felt that if she could tackle Kame and Ubaya, she could tackle anyone. But another question seemed to pop in her mind, and she asked, "But... Cubs?"

Johari let out a laugh. "Ah, you got me there... That's the only thing I can't compete with a male! But there are always passing rogues -friendly ones, that is- that are willing to help out. And if we get any male cubs, they'll leave anyway, when they're of age. What do you think? It would totally work, don't you agree?"

Yamile laughed and shook her head. "You crazy. Good luck!"

"Sure, you make fun of me now, but we'll see who laughs later! Besides, I don't want cubs... I wasn't planning on having Chiku, but my season made me weaker than I thought. I do love her to bits, but I'm not looking forward to raising a cub again. How about you?"

"No, no cubs," Yamile replied firmly. The idea of having to be that close to a male to get them, made her uncomfortable already, and she felt the rogues had already provided her with enough intercourse to last her a lifetime.

"See?" Johari said, "Yet one more thing we have in common."

Yamile gave her a sad smile, as she couldn't help thinking back to that day, and how much her life changed since then. There was a time when more than anything, she wanted to have her own cubs, and cub-sitting had always been her favorite task. But the lionesses nowadays didn't feel it was safe to leave their cubs with her, and she couldn't blame them. There was no way she could keep up with them, and she couldn't sing them lullabies or tell them nap-time stories. With her random panic attacks, she was in no state to care for a little one.

Johari distracted her from her thoughts when she saw a herd of gazelles, grazing in the distance "Hmmm... How about you wait here for me, and I go get us some food?"

Yamile eyed the distant herd and couldn't help her mouth from watering. She nodded in agreement, and watched as Johari began sneaking towards the herd, and eventually launched the attack. Yamile didn't take her eyes off Johari, as she remembered the good old days in which she had also contributed to bring food home. It was moments like these when she cursed herself for having held her breath, and not letting Kame and Ubaya finish her off. But she shook the thought off quickly.

"Looks good," she said when Johari returned to the tree carrying a small gazelle in her muzzle.

Johari thanked her for the compliment. "You know... It's only recently that I started hunting again. I'd spent all my time learning to fight, but now I have time to spare..."

The lioness settled down and placed the gazelle in the middle, pushing it gently towards Yamile, who started eating hungrily.

Johari watched her eat, feeling content, but holding her breath discretely.

"You don't eat?" Yamile asked after swallowing a mouthful.

Johari shook her head. "Not yet. I'll just wait after you're done."

Yamile shrugged and carried on. She could still enjoy her meals somewhat, although most of her sense of taste was gone.

When she had had her fill, Yamile pushed the gazelle towards Johari. "You eat."

"Okay, here we go..." Johari said. She took a deep breath, and began devouring as much as she could in the shortest of time, while Yamile raised an eyebrow, staring at her peculiar table manners with curiosity.

Johari would stop every now and then to take a deep breath with her mouth, and continued eating at top speed. She repeated this procedure several times, and when she felt she had eaten enough, she quickly dragged the remains of the gazelle and dropped them far away from them, for the jackals and vultures to finish.

She returned and began digging around quickly, covering all the blood traces that had been left from their meal. Finally, Johari sat down a few paces away from Yamile, and began grooming her own face frantically, almost as if her life depended on it, only breathing normally again once her face was reasonably clean.

Yamile had been watching her intently, and realized that this was not just bad manners at work. While Johari was strong and fierce, Yamile was almost certain that this strange behaviour was to be attributed to something Kame and Ubaya did. It warmed Yamile up inside to see that even a strong lioness like Johari also had problems dealing with certain situations at times. It made her feel a lot closer to her all of a sudden.

Yamile took a few steps towards her, with the intention of comforting her.

Johari looked up only to come face to face with her, but Yamile's face was still covered in their prey's blood and the smell of it caught the lioness of guard.

Johari could not help herself and turned away quickly, pushing Yamile backwards, not being able to hold back a retching motion.

Yamile gasped, and retreated quickly after being roughly pushed. She curled up into a ball, looking insecure, not sure about what she had done wrong.

"I'm sorry... I'm really sorry... It's-" Johari tried to say, but she lost her control, and the lunch she just had eaten came right back up.

Yamile watched her mortified, not sure what to do to help her.

When it was all over, Johari took a few deep breaths. "Oh, man... Let's move on to another tree..." she croaked, and walked away, with trembling legs, towards the nearest acacia. Yamile followed, keeping a considerable distance.

"You okay?" Yamile asked once Johari had calmed down and didn't look like she was about to push her away again.

"Yes, yes... I'm okay. I'm sorry you had to see that. Normally I can keep it under control..."

"What's the problem?" Yamile inquired, not sure yet what had triggered that reaction.

"It's the blood. I can't stand the sight and, above all, the smell of it. That's why I hold my breath to eat. I was already feeling queasy after the meal. I thought I'd be okay, but... The thing is, there's still a lot of blood on your face, and I didn't expect you to get that close to me. All of a sudden I turned and you were, like, right there... " she tried to explain.

"Oh!" Yamile said, nodding understandingly. While Afia was the one who would usually groom her after mealtime, Yamile knew she couldn't wait that long for her. The lioness tried to devise a way to groom herself as fast as possible. She leaned her weight on the elbow of her mangled paw, and then brought her good paw to her mouth. She tried sticking her tongue out as much as she could, but Johari could then see that there wasn't much left of it. Yamile tried desperately to moisten her paw, but since she couldn't use her tongue for the purpose, she ended up sticking her paw in her mouth, until she had salivated enough, and tried to clean her face that way.

Johari watched Yamile struggling to get herself clean, just for her, and she felt her heart breaking. She wanted nothing than just hug Yamile and clean her face herself, bloody or not.

"It's all right," Johari said reassuringly, pushing Yamile's good paw gently down to the ground, "The moment of shock has passed now, I don't mind anymore if your face has blood on it."

Yamile gave up, knowing her attempt at grooming herself was not making much of a difference. She might be able to remove some of the blood on her face, but she had no way of cleaning her now dirty paw properly.

"Afia cleans me," she said apologetically.

"Hmm... But with Afia gone for a few days... Someone will have to clean your face in the meantime..." Johari told her, looking thoughtful.

Both lionesses fell silent, unsure about what to do to make each other feel at ease again.

"Do you think we could help each other get over our fears?" Johari asked after the awkward moment of silence.

The look on Yamile's face suggested that she had been thinking something similar.

"We try," she said... "If I panic, you stay?"

"I promise I'll stay by your side no matter what," Johari said, "The good thing is I don't run away if I panic. You already saw what happens to me. But I've emptied my stomach already so, I should be able to do this..."

Yamile nodded. Her eyes once again betrayed her as the pupils enlarged, revealing that she felt afraid and insecure.

Johari took a deep breath, and told her, "Try to keep in mind that I'm not a male... I'm just a lioness, much like Afia, and all I want to do is clean your face. Can you concentrate on that?"

The lioness nodded quickly, visibly unsure.

Johari could tell she had started to shake already, but Yamile closed her eyes tight and mumbled, "Ok, go on..."

Johari sat in front of her, and she would have probably enjoyed the closeness to Yamile if she hadn't been too preoccupied with holding her breath, and making sure the other lioness didn't panic. She started grooming her slowly, doing her best to ignore the metallic taste in her mouth that would flood her every time she dared to take a small breath.

Yamile had tensed up considerably, and wasn't really enjoying this at first, barely resisting the urge to step away and curl up into a ball. She kept her eyes firmly closed, not daring to open them until this was all over, but as Johari continued licking her face, Yamile finally became more relaxed. While she already knew for certain that Johari meant her no harm, sometimes her mind and body would react before she could persuade herself that everything would be all right and there was nothing to be afraid of. She seemed to be over that threshold now, and began accepting Johari's gentle caressing, without fear. She even stopped trembling after a while.

Johari kept it up for as long as she could manage, and realized that after a while, she no longer could taste the gazelle's blood in her mouth any more. She began breathing normally again, while still grooming Yamile, finally enjoying herself.

"Well, your face is clean now... Would you like me to stop, or should I go on a bit longer?" Johari asked her, hoping that Yamile hadn't found the experience all too unpleasant.

Yamile finally opened her eyes and noticed just how close Johari was sitting. It startled her for a moment, but she didn't pull away. Yamile was craving for her comfort and protection. She locked eyes with Johari for just a couple of seconds, before looking away submissively.

"Well?" Johari asked, smiling at her.

"Um... No grooming."

"Okay," Johari replied, "Would you like to take a nap, or maybe go for a drink?"

Yamile bit her lip before whispering, "Hug?"

Johari wasn't sure she had understood her correctly this time. "Er, you want me to hold you close? Is that it?"

Yamile nodded, and pushed her head under Johari's chin.

Johari went extremely silent, enjoying all the new and strange sensations going through her body right now. It was almost like being in season, but without the crazy mood swings. She was very much aware that Yamile tended to seek comfort through touch, and would snuggle and hug Afia often. But Yamile had never requested the same kind of contact with Johari, until today.

Johari sat down even closer to Yamile, and wrapped a paw around her shoulders, holding her tight. She could feel Yamile's warm breath against her neck, giving her goosebumps.

Johari balanced herself on her hind quarters as she lifted her other paw and used it to caress Yamile's face gently. She waited for a second to see if the lioness would protest, but Yamile only snuggled closer, burying her nose in Johari's chest and breathing in her scent.

They didn't say anything for a while. Johari held her protectively in a tender embrace, while Yamile relaxed noticeably, feeling safe by her side.

It was Yamile who broke the hug first, stepping back slightly, and looking content. "Nap?" she asked Johari.

"All right," Johari replied, trying to hide her excitement, and began trampling the grass around them.

After walking in a few small circles, Johari lay down on her side. She had expected Yamile would lie down a few meters further, but the lioness actually propped herself snuggly right next to her, facing Johari. Yamile tucked her head under Johari's chin again, and once more Johari heard her ask, "Hug?"

Johari smiled and wrapped one paw around her in response. Even though she had felt somewhat sleepy after eating and feeling sick, there was no way Johari could go to sleep right now, not with the adrenaline running through her body while holding Yamile so close.

"Thanks for trusting me," Johari said softly, "It means a lot to me."

Yamile wanted to tell her so many things. She wanted to tell her how much she appreciated her company, her risking her life, her comfort and understanding towards her issues, and just how much she enjoyed being with her. But Yamile felt she'd make a fool out of herself if she tried to express all she wanted to say with her damaged mouth. Instead, she resorted to body language, and she snuggled against Johari even closer, embracing her with her two good paws until their bodies were firmly pressed against each other, hoping her actions would speak more than words.

It was as if Johari understood, because she didn't say more, and only tightened her embrace in response. She rubbed the back of Yamile's head with a paw gently. For a short moment, she had to think back to the time when Kame had been stroking her own head like that. Johari was amazed to see how the same move, that once instilled fear in her, was now proving to be extremely comforting to Yamile. But Johari wanted to provide more than just comfort right now. The lioness was bursting with feelings she had never experienced before, and had no idea how to deal with them. Before she could stop herself, Johari let out a trembling sigh and licked Yamile's head. It was a long, slow stroke with her tongue, that the lioness knew had nothing to do with grooming. She held her breath as she awaited for Yamile's reaction.

Yamile had opened her eyes wide when she felt the warmest, most gentle of kisses, right on the top of her head. While under other circumstances the move would have probably freaked her out, the lioness smiled to herself and accepted Johari's token of appreciation. Not only that, she actually wanted more. Now more than ever did she wish for her tongue to be intact, so that she could return the gesture. Instead, she dug her claws into Johari's back gently, and asked softly, "Again..."

Johari was keen to comply. She gave her another kiss, and then another. Many more followed. Yamile eventually wiggled from Johari's grasp and pushed herself upwards, until she was lying nose to nose with her. Yamile couldn't kiss, but she nuzzled Johari very meaningfully, and nipped softly at her neck, her claws now firmly buried in Johari's skin.

Johari was not in pain, on the contrary, she loved the feeling of Yamile's nails scratching her, as well as her gentle biting. She nuzzled and kissed Yamile passionately in return.

The lionesses looked into each other's eyes for a moment, both of them trembling with excitement, and slightly short of breath. Johari was happy to see that Yamile could finally look at her, and not look away in submission. They kept staring at each other with a smile, as the heat of the moment eventually faded and both of them calmed down. But they did not loosen their embrace, and remained firmly entwined.

Johari couldn't help herself and whispered, "I hope I won't creep you out or anything but... All I do all day long is just thinking about you and how you might be doing, and if you're having a good day... Yamile... Please... Will you let me into your life? Let me me care for you, protect you... Let me love you."

Yamile ran her good paw down Johari's face. "Love me?"

"Yes. I love you, very much," Johari admitted right away, "I had never been in love before, until we met. I know it's weird, maybe even unheard of, two lionesses together like this... But... it just feels right, lying by your side," she added, looking a bit nervous, for a change.

Yamile smiled broadly in return. She would have never imagined she would ever find love after what happened to her, much less in a lioness. The thought had never crossed her mind. And here she was, in the arms of one, feeling the happiest she had ever felt in a very long time. And this was not just any lioness, but one so strong, willing to do anything to protect her. What more could she ask for?

"You, I, mates?" Yamile asked, smiling shyly.

"I'd love to be your mate, if you let me," Johari whispered.

Yamile nodded in response, and snuggled close again, not believing her luck.

They remained in that position until Yamile fell asleep not long after, breathing slowly and steady into Johari's fur.

Johari let out a deep breath, glad that she had not been rejected by her. She now understood Salehe, in many ways. If Yamile had said no to her, Johari was sure she would have felt terrible. She didn't even want to contemplate the possibility. Instead, she looked up at the sky for a moment, and smiled warmly.

_Is this an angel sent by you, Ishara? Is this your way of telling me that my life still has some purpose and meaning, after all? If so, message received, sister. I haven't felt more alive in years..._

Johari looked around, taking the landscape in, wanting to preserve this moment in her memory forever. It was then when she finally noticed Chiku, standing not far away, looking at both of them intently.

Johari swallowed with difficulty. She knew she probably owed her daughter an explanation, so she stood up very slowly, trying not to bother the sleeping lioness, without success.

Yamile woke up almost immediately, looking at her slightly alarmed, but Johari reassured her with a soft nuzzle. "Don't worry, I'll be right back. My daughter's here, I think she wants a word with me."

Yamile nodded and quickly sat up, glancing at the famous Chiku with curiosity.

Johari approached Chiku with her head up high. She had no idea how long she had been standing there, but she was sure she was about to find out. Judging from Chiku's shocked expression, she had seen and heard enough.

"Hi, there. What are you doing here?" Johari asked calmly.

"I was looking for you... And then I saw- You and her... um, I mean... You know! And then I thought I heard you were... Are you mates or something? What's going on?" Chiku stammered, as her mouth spoke faster than she could organize her thoughts.

"I know this is very strange, Chiku, but yes... I've fallen in love with Yamile, and she with me. She's a survivor from Kame and Ubaya's attack, and we have been helping each other deal with our fears and our sorrow. I've never been happier in my life, Chiku, I hope you can understand this..."

Chiku sat on her haunches, still very surprised. "But... Is this common? I mean, you never told me about this during that... talk we had. We can't make cubs with other females, or can we?" she asked, not certain of her reproductive facts any more.

Johari had to stifle a laugh. "No, we can't. But neither of us want any cubs for now, so we'll be all right. As whether this is common or not... I honestly have no idea. But something tells me it could be frowned upon, especially by our Pride, who is so set on their traditions... So I'm going to have to ask you to please keep this a secret. Okay, I know the first thing you will do is go tell Damisi, so can you please ask her to be discrete too?"

Chiku grinned slightly, and nodded in reply.

Johari looked at her and whispered, "You're not mad at me?"

Chiku glanced at Yamile in the distance, and then looked at her mother, shaking her head. "No, why would I? I'm glad you've found someone to love. I just had no idea two lionesses could get that close, so it caught me by surprise, that's all. Er, I'm sorry... I... I kinda spied on you two."

Johari chuckled as she shrugged. "It's okay, it was just a hug and a kiss."

Chiku blushed slightly, as she had never seen such a passionate hug or kiss in her life. "Um... I'm kinda curious now... Do you think I can meet her?" she asked.

Johari smiled back, appreciating Chiku's understanding of the situation greatly. She hadn't had time to ponder how Chiku would react to this bit of news, but seeing her daughter being friendly and supportive made her even happier than she already was. Johari led Chiku towards Yamile, who was still looking at her with curiosity. However, the closer she got, the more Yamile retreated, looking nervous. She found Chiku even more imposing than Johari.

"Hold on," Johari said, and walked ahead, to reassure Yamile that everything was okay. It took her a few minutes of persuasion, but eventually Chiku was allowed to get closer.

Chiku took one look at Yamile, and she could immediately tell why her mother had been drawn to this lioness. All she could not do for Ishara, she could do for her.

"Nice to meet you," Chiku told her, while Yamile nodded shyly, "And congratulations on finding yourself the best mate ever. Just a word of advise..." Chiku whispered, loud enough for Johari to hear, "If she offers to teach you how to fight, just say no."

Johari grinned and slapped Chiku playfully on the head.

Yamile smiled, even if she was still staring intently at the grass. "Will do," she said softly.

Johari could see by Chiku's face that she had not quite understood her, but before she could question Yamile and make her feel insecure about her speech, Johari said, "What brought you here anyway, Chiku?"

Chiku had been too shocked by the loving scene she had witnessed, that she had completely forgotten to tell Johari the reason why she came looking for her in the first place.

The smile faded from the lioness' face as she looked intently at her mother and said, "I just thought you'd like to know that Adla's contacts have finally located Meru, and they're bringing him back to the Eyasi territory as we speak."


	14. The Missing Piece

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 14: The Missing Piece**

The black heron must have been very far away, because several days went by without any news from Liwe, who had been in charge of bringing him back.

Adla, Johari and Chiku waited anxiously, wondering what they would do once the culprit was exposed. How would everyone react? Would the guilty one be banned from the Pride under charges of attempted murder? Whatever the sentence, they would have to wait to see what Salehe's verdict would be, as he would be the one administering the punishment. But since he still had no idea that Johari's long period of absence had to do with a dirty inside job, they lionesses could not discuss this issue with him.

In the meantime, Chiku had tried to keep her mother's secret to herself, but when even Damisi started asking where Johari kept disappearing to lately, the lioness decided to confide in her.

Damisi had also appeared shocked at first, but not for long. It dawned on her that many of Johari's actions and traits were very much male-like, from her drive to fight and chase intruders away, to her strong desire to protect others, not to mention her bulky looks, and despite Salehe's discontent, the fact that she liked to mark the borders herself. The lion had been right, and a few rogues had approached the Eyasi territory, intrigued by her scent and wondering if there was a lonely lioness wandering around. Johari's pastime was to face them, and either scare them away, or chase them after a quick, satisfying fight.

Damisi knew that Chiku possessed similar traits too, and couldn't help but wonder if her friend might be hiding her orientation, just to prevent any problems with the Pride. Damisi hinted at Chiku that she would be totally supportive if that were the case, but Chiku did not appear to be interested in any lionesses. Instead, Damisi found the answer to her doubts when she discovered that Chiku would actually make a round by the borders almost every day, just in case Zende might come looking for her.

Johari continued to visit Yamile almost every day, and when Afia returned from spending time with the Pride's male, she was very surprised to see how much the relationship between her sister and Johari had developed. Yamile appeared to be a different lioness all together, laughing and looking content. She even went for a swim, which she had not done since the day she was attacked.

Afia was thankful to Johari, and regardless of whether the leader of the Pride approved of their relationship or not, if Yamile was happy, that was all what mattered to her.

However, it all appeared to come to an abrupt end, when Johari went to visit Yamile one morning, only to find the area around the baobab deserted. The birds in the area told her that the leader of the Nyaga Pride decided to return as quickly as possible, when he heard that there were some other Prides trying to compete for the territory that was once his, before the fire destroyed it. He didn't give time to Afia and Yamile to go and say good bye to Johari, but they did leave a message behind, telling her she'd be more than welcome, if she could visit.

Johari was devastated, especially since she had not been able to say a proper good bye. How was Yamile coping? Would she crawl back into her shell, without Johari to make her feel safe and protected? How could they take her away, just like that? Johari couldn't help feeling very resentful towards Afia and her leader, but the worst was knowing that Yamile was gone; it was breaking her heart in two.

Chiku picked up on Johari's sadness, and asked her what was wrong. Johari could not hold back a few tears as she told Chiku what had happened. The young lioness was still trying to comfort her mother, when she noticed Salehe approaching in the distance.

The lion had returned that evening from doing his rounds, with nothing unusual to report. He watched his Pride, gathered together, and smiled when he saw that Johari was there too. She had distanced herself from him a lot lately, and he still missed her terribly, but he hoped that everything would change now, as he was about choose her as his new mate. Kamaria appeared more subdued and calm lately, so he thought today would be a good time to make his announcement.

He sat down and asked them to come closer.

"I know that I've not handled certain things the right way, and for that I've apologized many times already. But I also want to move on and give our Pride the structure it needs. To be able to do that, I need a mate."

Both Johari and Kamaria's ears drooped almost instantly, while Tisha looked at each one of them nervously.

"It's no secret that I already had my mind set on a very strong lioness, who happens to be a good hunter, and who I trust will be able to lead the Pride and keep everyone safe."

Kamaria felt as if his words were piercing her heart. Despite everything, she still loved him. She thought she was over it and she was sure she'd be able to handle this conversation when the time came, but she was not so sure about that anymore. Since most eyes were fixed on either her or Johari, the lioness tried to look as calm as possible, and held her head up.

"I've chosen Johari to be my new mate," he then turned to her, and asked, "Will you please come join me?"

The lionesses weren't surprised to hear this, but it did come as a shock when they saw that Johari had not moved an inch, and was shaking her head slightly.

"Well?" Salehe asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Johari had been certain she would be chosen, but after having experienced real love and happiness at the side of Yamile, the thought of having to be Salehe's mate almost made her sick to her stomach. Not only that, she would have to seal the bond with him, and go through yet another painful mating session outside her season, while she had sworn she'd never submit again to that torture willingly. Her aching heart could just not take this right now.

Johari finally looked up at him, and hissed through clenched teeth, "I can't be your mate... Please, if you really love me, don't make me do this..."

The lionesses gasped in unison and began whispering amongst each other. It was usually a great honor to be picked as leader, and to reject the offer was simply unheard of.

"But why not? We get along well, we make a really good team... The more I think about it, the more I am sure you are the right choice."

"I can't accept, please, don't force me..."

The lion looked at Johari intently. This was not how he had expected things to go. Seeing that all the lionesses had began to whisper amongst themselves, he then addressed the rest of the Pride, while rubbing his temple with a paw. "Everyone, can you please leave us alone for a moment?"

The lionesses and Faraji nodded and started to walk away, to give them some privacy.

Kamaria was about to leave too, but Johari turned to her and told her softly, "No, please, stay here... Help me convince him that this is total madness..."

The lioness perked her ears with curiosity, and sat down next to Johari.

"You know I have no desire in taking Kamaria's place," Johari told Salehe as soon as the rest of the Pride had left, "I've told you a thousand times already! Why do you insist in putting me in this position? You're hurting her, and you're hurting me. Please, Salehe, reconsider... You and Kamaria should be the ones running this joint, not me."

Kamaria looked at Johari with a slightly mortified expression, while still appreciating greatly what she was doing.

He turned to Johari, looking hurt, and said in a hushed tone, "I'm not even asking you to love me anymore. All I want is you by my side as leader. Why is that so hard?"

"Because I've never had any interest in being a leader! I was not taught nor trained to be one, that was Kamaria's role! She's the one who had lessons on how to keep this place together. I know nothing!"

"Well, she could teach you-"

"Listen to yourself!" Johari interrupted, raising her voice for a moment, making the lionesses in the distance turn to look at her. She lowered her tone once again and snarled, "You are basically asking your actual betrothed, who is still very much in love with you, to teach _me _how to take her place. Seriously, Salehe?"

Salehe stared at the ground for a moment, knowing she had a point. However, he had not seen this coming, especially since Kamaria had ditched him first, so he had assumed that Johari wouldn't have a problem with being by his side. Her rejection made him feel hurt and upset, only this time he could not take it out on her with a fighting lesson, so he had to take deep breaths to calm himself and not say something that he would regret later.

"Why don't you just pick someone else?" Johari said, sounding a bit desperate.

"Because I don't think any of the other lionesses have what it takes to take the lead," he replied curtly.

"Kamaria does. And since you have to do what's best for the well-being of the Pride, then you will have to agree with me. She is the best choice you have. Please, reconsider..." Johari insisted.

Salehe looked at Kamaria, who was silently watching the discussion. She still felt quite angry at Salehe, and yet, she still hoped they could give it another try, now that Johari had crushed any hopes Salehe might have had of them ending up together.

But Salehe was not about to give in to her demands. "You're right. After you, Kamaria is the only lioness I'd trust with the leadership of this Pride. But Kamaria set me free from my commitment to her."

Kamaria took a step forward and faced him. "I am willing to give you another chance, Salehe. If we put some effort into it, I am sure we can make things work, just like before... Think about it," she said, finally caving in to her love and devotion for him.

"I guess we could, but Johari's the one I've chosen now, and my choice is not to be questioned," the lion replied, feeling as if the two females were emotionally ganging up on him.

Johari frowned intently. "Well, I refuse to accept it. I care for you deeply, Salehe, but that doesn't mean I will let you force me into this. I'll even fight you, for real, if it comes down to it."

Salehe looked deep into her eyes. Johari could see that his own were slightly moist, with tears threatening to burst at any moment. It made her very uneasy to see him like that, and for the first time she actually hesitated whether she was doing the right thing.

"I'm a reasonable lion, you know that. I'm not the type who will ban you or kill you as a price to pay for this rejection. But I will tell you this, if you refuse to help me out with my duties, then I will consider our friendship over. Think about it; I spent hours of my time on you, helping you out, so all I am asking is a little bit of your time in return."

"You're being unfair..." Johari whispered.

Salehe snorted, and said sarcastically, "_I'm _being unfair... You know, I'll give you until tomorrow night, to think things over. If by then you still despise the fact that I chose you above all the rest, then I'll release you from the commitment and Kamaria will be reinstated as leader, if she so desires. But I will also sever my ties with you, for my own sake. No more lessons, no more practices, no more talks and walks."

Johari stared at the ground, feeling extremely confused. "I don't want to lose our friendship, Salehe. It does mean a lot to me..."

"Then you know what you have to do," he replied, and walked away, leaving Johari and Kamaria behind, looking very startled.

_Oh, dear... We could get back together, and he'll distance himself from Johari! Please, please let this work..._Kamaria thought, praying to whomever might be listening, her heart racing just at the thought of having Salehe all to herself again.

She then noticed that Johari looked really miserable, so she got a bit closer and placed a paw on her shoulder, trying to be reassuring, but Johari moved away from her.

"Er, thanks for holding me in such a high regard," Kamaria went to say, but Johari remained quiet, still not trusting her completely.

"Do you think you could accept to be his mate, after all?" she inquired, with genuine curiosity.

"I don't know," Johari replied, looking at her intently, "He does have a point... I owe him so much, it's the least I could do to pay him back, I guess..."

Kamaria's ears drooped slightly, something that didn't go unnoticed by Johari, who went on to say, "I bet you'd hate that, right?"

"Huh?" Kamaria asked, not sure she understood what Johari meant.

"Come on. Let's not fool ourselves here. You're hoping I will still reject him by tomorrow night, so that you can have a chance at retaking your place as leader."

Kamaria bit her lip for a moment, but she shook her head. "It's not quite like that, Johari... You see, I don't care about my rank at all. I wouldn't mind being the lowest of the low, as long as Salehe loved me half as much as he loves you. I won't lie to you, I _am _hoping you'll reject him, but not because of the position in the rank order. I just want to be by his side. I miss him so much, that every day I wonder if I made the right decision, telling myself I was too hasty in letting him go."

Johari kept eye contact with her. She didn't appear to be lying, or she was simply very good at it.

"And if I do accept him? Then what?"

"Well... Then you and I will both be completely miserable..." Kamaria replied, with a hint of sadness in her voice, "I guess that would be my final cue to try to forget Salehe and move on, as painful as it is right now."

Both lionesses remained quiet for a moment, but Kamaria finally broke the silence. "I... I know I haven't been very nice to you lately because of Salehe, and I'm really sorry. I honestly thought you were trying to steal him away from me, and I just couldn't take it. But now I can see he's just as obsessed with you, as I am with him..." she said, giving her a little, sad smile.

Johari glanced at her for a second. "It's going to take more than one _'I'm sorry' _to make me forgive what you've put me through, Kamaria," Johari said softly, hinting to her that she new the truth.

Kamaria gave her a puzzled look.

Johari let out a deep breath and finally broke eye contact, looking very upset. "Look... I don't want to discuss this any further. I have no idea what I'll do. I just need some time to think..." she said, and turned around to leave, putting an end to their conversation.

Kamaria didn't stop her, she simply watched Johari go, while Chiku ran after her not long after. Almost as if on cue, Kamaria heard the footsteps of Tisha approaching.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Tisha asked.

Kamaria looked at her. "I'm fine. I just need to wait for tomorrow night and I'll finally get some closure, I hope," she replied.

Tisha tilted her head slightly. "Huh? Meaning?"

"Johari has until then to make up her mind. If she refuses to accept Salehe as her mate, probably Salehe and I will give it another go, together... I've given him a second chance..."

Kamaria then filled Tisha in on her conversation with Salehe and Johari, while the lioness listened raptly.

"It worries me that she's kind of having second thoughts," Tisha said, "What if she accepts him after all and ruins it all for you? Will you be able to deal with yet another disappointment prompted by those two?"

"At this point, I have no idea, Tisha. I'm living one day at a time when it comes to struggling with my feelings for Salehe, I just hope I'll be strong enough if things don't work out the way I want them to."

"I hope so too. Maybe I can help," Tisha said, "I can go talk to Johari and tell her just how much all this means to you-"

"She knows that already, you don't need to intervene."

"Please... I'll do anything to see you happy and confident again by Salehe's side. Just let me try and persuade her. There's nothing to lose, right?"

Kamaria looked at her doubtfully, but replied, "Well, I guess it can't hurt..."

"Great!" Tisha exclaimed with enthusiasm, "Mark my words, you'll be sharing that niche again with Salehe by tomorrow night."

Kamaria stared ahead into the distance, hoping she could be as optimistic as Tisha was now.

* * *

"Mom, wait up!" Chiku yelled as she ran after Johari, sounding worried.

Johari eventually slowed down, allowing Chiku to catch up. "I want to be alone, Chiku, please..."

"I figured, but I'm worried, I just need to know what's going on... Did you reject him? Will he banish you?"

Johari shook her head quickly. "No, no! He won't do that, although he says he'll refuse to talk to me again."

Chiku raised an eyebrow. "Wow, that's childish..."

"This is the end of our friendship, one way or another," Johari said softly, "He says I kinda owe it to him, to help him out, after all he did for me..."

"Mom, that's called blackmailing in my book. He's a really cool guy and all, but he's crossed the line here. You don't have to give in to his demands just to return the favor, right? There are many other things you could do for him, and you can still help out with some of his duties, while not necessarily being his mate!"

"I know, Chiku, but he's not settling for that. He's given me until tomorrow to make up my mind, if I refuse, Kamaria and him will have another go, but I'll be pretty much out of the picture for him."

Chiku fidgeted slightly, as she bit her lip thoughtfully. "Maybe it's for the better, mom. I know what I'm going to say will sound really mean and nasty, but... Um, you've kind of gotten what you wanted from him. If he decides to give you the silent treatment, he will have more to lose than you. And let's face it, given the recent developments between you and Yamile, you barely spend time with him lately. I won't believe you if you tell me you've actually missed him at all during these days you've been sneaking away to see her."

Johari looked at Chiku, to see if she was joking, but the lioness was dead serious. And she knew her daughter was absolutely right.

"My Yamile... She needs me a lot more than Salehe does. If I were to lead this Pride, I wouldn't have enough time to sneak away and visit her, especially now that they're going back to their original territory."

"We already knew they wouldn't stay here forever... The question is, will you?" Chiku said, looking intently at her mother.

There was a fire starting in Johari's eyes, just like the look she would get when she was about to engage in an exciting fight. The same thought that Chiku just had, was now crossing Johari's mind.

Johari lifted a paw and caressed Chiku's scarred face gently. "Are you encouraging me to send everything to hell, and follow Yamile?"

Chiku swallowed with difficulty, but she nodded in the end. "All I know is that I've never seen you this happy ever before. I'm afraid you'd be giving away too much, just to keep an awkward friendship with a lion that's now kind of taking advantage of his rank. Your relationship with Salehe will never be the same after today, regardless of what you choose, and you know it."

Johari nodded. Chiku was right, again.

"But... I'd be leaving you behind..." Johari began to say, but Chiku interrupted her.

"I'm a big girl now, and I can take care of myself. You've taught me well."

Johari's eyes filled up with tears, watching her daughter all grown up. They had been so close, always together... She would have never though they would end parting ways at some point. "Why don't you come with me?"

"This is my home," Chiku replied, giving her mom a tiny smile, "Besides, I have Damisi here. I've abandoned her once already, she'd hate me forever if I did that again. And who knows, Zende might come looking for me."

Johari understood. Her daughter had her life made here, and everyone treated her well and with respect. She had no real reason to leave.

"You should leave as soon as possible," Chiku suggested, trying to look strong for her mother, "I am sure you'll be able to catch up, since Yamile cannot walk all that fast."

"Yes... I think I will. Please don't tell anyone I've left, at least until tomorrow night. By then, I'll be far away, and Salehe won't come after me."

Chiku nodded silently, and sat down close to Johari.

Both lionesses nuzzled each other, and Chiku could not hold back her tears anymore. "I'll miss you..."

"You will? But everyone always said I was a horrible mother..."

"You were, sometimes," Chiku replied sincerely, making Johari chuckle for a moment, "You made me very mad with your long, painful lessons and whatnot... But look at us now, we get along really well, after all. I do love you, mom. Don't you ever doubt that."

The lionesses fell silent as they continued to nuzzle each other, but both their ears flicked as they heard a sound in the distance. They both turned at the same time, to see Tisha approaching.

"Um, sorry, am I interrupting something?" she said apologetically.

"Just comforting my mom," Chiku replied, "She's got a tough decision to make, after all," she lied, knowing deep inside that her mother was already with one paw on the road to happiness.

"Yeah, about that... I was wondering if I could have a word with you, Johari," Tisha said.

Johari raised an eyebrow. "Um, I thought that this topic would only be discussed between Kamaria, Salehe and myself..."

"Yeah, I know, but I've just been talking to Kamaria, and, well... " she eyed Chiku, and insisted once more, "Please... could we talk in private? It's a bit of a sensitive subject..."

Johari sighed deeply, and looked sadly at Chiku, wishing they could have enjoyed their last good-bye in privacy.

"It's all right, mom. I'll just go back to the lair and wait there," Chiku said, and nuzzling Johari gently once more, she whispered in her ear very quietly, "and I'll be seeing you in my dreams."

Johari returned the nuzzle and licked her cheek, holding back her tears. She watched silently as Chiku made a beeline for the lair, while Tisha fidgeted, looking and smelling quite nervous.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Johari said, turning to her.

"Not here, come on, follow me," Tisha replied.

Johari shrugged and followed Tisha distractedly, not paying attention to where they were going, as her heart kept going back to Yamile and her last conversation with Chiku.

* * *

Back at the Eyasi lair, the lionesses were discussing quietly what had happened. No one, except perhaps Damisi, could understand why Johari had not accepted Salehe right away; everyone had assumed that she wouldn't mind having him as a mate.

The lionesses were still gossiping, but they hushed when they saw Chiku returning.

"Is your mother okay?" Damisi asked, to which Chiku only nodded in reply, not elaborating any further.

"Salehe was just here a moment ago, I've never seen him looking this angry, Faraji's gone to try and calm him down," Damisi said.

"Yeah, well, he's a grown-up, he should know by now that we can't always get what we want."

Etana chuckled and shook her head. "Don't let him hear you talk like that, he's not in the mood for this."

Chiku shrugged at her. "You know I never sugarcoat anything, and I'm not about to start now."

Gasira changed position slightly as Safi approached her, asking to be fed. She began nursing him, while paying attention to the lionesses, who had shifted from Johari to Salehe as the main focus of their conversation.

But their gossip about him also came to a sudden end when Kamaria returned and decided to join them. She couldn't hide a look of excitement on her face.

"You look chipper," Adla told her.

"What do you mean?" Kamaria replied, sensing once again a certain hostility coming from her.

"Oh, I don't know," Adla said, resting her chin on her paws, looking tired, "I just thought that you'd be more shaken, after Salehe's decision."

Kamaria raised an eyebrow at her, "Who says I wasn't? Besides, Johari has not said yes yet. There's still a chance Salehe and I could get back together if that were the case."

"Hmm, if only Johari was not in the way," Adla replied sarcastically.

Chiku heard this, and turned to look at Kamaria, studying her reaction carefully. The lioness frowned deeply when she heard Adla's words and appeared quite bothered at her comment.

"I don't know what you mean by that, but I think it's a very rude thing to say about one of your fellow Pride-mates. Why are you being so nasty anyway? Are you coming into season or something?"

The rest of the lionesses hushed, while they listened to Kamaria and Adla's exchange.

"No, I just had it not too long ago..." Adla replied, with a certain bitterness that only Chiku and Bahiya could understand.

Kamaria softened her look for a moment, and whispered, "Oh... And? Are you with cub?"

Adla shrugged. "I don't know yet, it's too soon. Time will tell."

The lionesses felt the urge to congratulate her, but they did not want to give away the fact that they had been listening to each and every word they were saying, so they all kept quiet.

"Anyway, back to your comment about Johari," Kamaria said, "I've already had a talk with her, and we've settled our differences. I understand her better now, and I can see now that she never intended to steal Salehe away from me."

Adla lifted her head. "Have you apologized to her?"

Kamaria nodded and then tilted her head thoughtfully. "I did say I was sorry for the way I treated her, but apparently that was not enough. I suppose I have to make it up to her somehow, but I have no idea what else she's expecting from me..."

"Hmmph. Well, yeah. 'Sorry' doesn't really begin to cover it..." Chiku blurted out before she could stop herself.

Kamaria glanced from Chiku to Adla. "Okay... I have the feeling that I am missing something here. So I was rude to her and I avoided her at all costs. I've sincerely apologized, what else can I do? Turn back time?"

Adla sat up straight and whispered, "Mother... Is that all you did to her? Please, be honest. No more lies."

Kamaria looked back at her, her eyes widened in shock. "Well... Yes... Um, well, there was this one time when I forbade her to fight with Salehe, using her pregnancy as an excuse. To be honest, I couldn't have cared less about it -um, sorry, Chiku, I just had been really angry back then. It was just my jealousy speaking... It was a very low move on my part, I admit it. Still, I am not sure what else to do to make you all believe that I deeply regret the way I treated her."

Adla narrowed her eyes slightly. "So you're saying you were not trying to mess things up for her?"

"Huh? Other than trying to get her to stop with those fighting lessons? No, not really."

"You're saying there was no passing messages around, or anything like that?" Chiku asked, hoping that then Kamaria would get the hint that Adla and Chiku knew the truth, but Kamaria continued to appear clueless.

"Will you stop talking in riddles, and tell me what is it that I am supposed to grovel at Johari's feet for? I'll gladly go beg her for forgiveness, but I need to now what my alleged _crime _is!" Kamaria exclaimed sarcastically, getting angry.

Salehe and Faraji, who had heard the commotion all the way from his niche, approached to see what was going on, and listened to the lionesses talking, looking confused.

Chiku glanced at the rest of the lionesses, who all looked as clueless as Kamaria. No one was giving any signs of uneasiness, fear, or guilt. They all simply looked very startled.

"When was the last time you spoke to Meru?" Adla asked Kamaria.

"Meru? I just saw her two days ago, she was by the waterhole at the hunting grounds. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Not the zebra. We're talking about the black heron," Chiku said, with a hint of triumph in her voice. If Kamaria didn't betray herself now, then she was either innocent, or an extremely good liar.

Adla glanced at Chiku for a second. They could both tell that Kamaria did not look nervous at all. Her scent was not betraying her either. The lioness looked more enraged than anything else, but they could see she was trying hard to keep her anger in check.

Kamaria stared into the horizon as she tried to recall when was the last time she had seen the bird. "It was during your diplomacy lessons. I never talked to him after that. Again, what does this have to do with anything?"

Salehe approached Kamaria's side at that point, and asked her, "What's going on here?"

"I have no idea," Kamaria told him, "They seem to think I've done something really terrible to Johari, that a sincere and heart-felt apology will not solve. I'm still trying to figure out what it is, because these two cannot just say it straight to my face."

Salehe frowned at them. "Well? How about you tell me what's the matter?"

Adla and Chiku glanced at each other, admitting defeat. Kamaria had not even stumbled on her words, and she had shown no incriminatory signs. They both had been certain she was the culprit. But if she wasn't, then who contacted the rogues? The two lionesses would have to wait until Liwe returned with Meru to find out more.

"Never mind," Adla said, "Just forget it."

"No," Salehe commanded, "You will explain to me and Kamaria what's going on. What does she need to apologize for? Did something happen to Johari just now?"

"Johari's fine," Kamaria interrupted, "We had a talk just after you left, and I told her I was sorry, but Johari also told me the same thing as Chiku and Adla; my apology is not good enough."

"Adla, your mother and I are waiting, explain yourself," Salehe said sternly.

"It's a rumor we heard," Adla replied, "We heard someone in our Pride might have put Johari and Chiku in danger on purpose. Since Mother was the only one who couldn't get along well with Johari, we immediately thought it had been her..."

Salehe wrinkled his nose for a moment. "That's quite some rumor! But how do you dare to blame someone of something so serious, without having any proof?"

"That's what we were hoping to find out," Adla said.

Kamaria turned to the lionesses and hissed, "How dare you assume such a horrible thing about me? I've always looked out for the well-being of our Pride! I never tried to put anyone in danger, all I wanted was for those stupid fighting lessons to stop! If Johari went and got into trouble with someone, that was her own fault, not mine!"

Salehe frowned deeply. He began lecturing the two young lionesses about how dangerous spreading lies and rumors could be, but Chiku was not paying any attention.

"Adla..." Chiku hissed through clenched teeth, "Adla!"

"I expect you to listen to me when I'm addressing you!" Salehe roared in front of Chiku's face, looking very upset and losing his patience.

Chiku flinched slightly, but she ignored his yelling, and pointed her nose up at the sky, looking excited.

Adla stared up in the direction Chiku was looking, and noticed in the distance what looked like two vultures, who were holding a black heron firmly by the wings with their beaks, while guided by a Marabou stork.

Adla and Chiku's faces lit up at the sight of them, and they started yelling and waving at the birds. "Here! We're here! Come on!" Their unusual behaviour made Salehe forget his anger for a moment. He was now as confused as Kamaria.

The Pride looked up, and noticed that the birds were descending. They all made way for Liwe and the vultures to land, while Meru struggled slightly, trying to loosen their grip, without success.

Kamaria looked at the birds in disbelief, and turned to Adla. "Is this some crazy stunt of yours, like the vervet monkeys thing?"

Adla shook her head. "This is no stunt, mother. Meru here knows who's been messing around with Johari and Chiku's safety."

Kamaria sat down and stared at the bird. "By all means, enlighten us!"

The young lioness then walked to Liwe. "You're right on time, Liwe, thanks for coming. Where did you find him?"

"He had gone past the desert, far far away. Though he still won't tell us why he did it or why he ran away," the stork replied.

Adla faced Meru, who looked at her pleadingly. He was clearly terrified, and feared for his life. "Adla... Please, have mercy on me..."

Adla tilted her head for a moment. She wished she could have been able to talk with him in private, but now that the cat was out of the bag, she decided to handle things right away. She cleared he throat and said out loud for everyone to hear, "The rumor we heard was this one: This bird here was passing information to the rogues that killed Ishara. He told them all about Johari and Chiku, and how they were training to defeat them if they were to return, enticing the rogues to come back and seek them for battle. He also fed us false information concerning their whereabouts, making Johari and Chiku travel unnecessary far, wasting their energy, and decreasing their chances of survival."

The Pride gasped loudly and looked shocked, but Salehe's expression was one of pure fury. "You did what?" he snarled.

"But," Adla proceeded to say, a bit loudly so as to regain everyone's attention, "before one of the rogues died, he implied that Meru had been doing all this against his will. Can you tell us more about that, Meru?"

Salehe extended his claws in front of the bird, wanting nothing more than to slice Meru open right there and then.

"No, no, please, don't hurt me! I can explain..." Meru stammered, shaking from fear, staring at Salehe's massive paw which would certainly kill him with one single swipe.

"You have ten seconds," Salehe told him, baring his teeth in front of his face.

"She had threatened my whole family!" Meru screamed, breaking in tears, "I had to do what she told me, if I wanted to keep them alive! I refused at first, but then she went and smashed one of my precious eggs, crushing it with her paws and smearing it on the ground! I could not risk losing more babies... I had no other choice but to go and talk to those rogues and tell them all about the two fighters, and to go tell Adla that they were near, when in reality they were far away... She didn't tell me her reasons, though, all I knew was that I had to make sure that the older fighter met with the rogues again, with or without her daughter, she didn't care about that. I didn't want any more trouble, so after that, I just took my wife and kids and fled... Please... I'm so sorry... I really didn't want to do it!"

"Who was she?" Adla and Chiku asked at the same time.

"I- I dunno... It was this lioness, I have no idea what her name was!" Meru replied between panicked sobs.

"Well, look around, pal. Recognize any faces?" Chiku snarled, glancing at Kamaria, whose jaw was hanging open.

Meru looked around, but shook his head. "Um... You all kinda look the same to me, um, no offense," he said, trembling from head to tail.

"There must be something you can remember about her! Think hard!" Salehe said.

Meru closed his eyes, as he tried to remember any specific traits. After a few seconds, which seemed to last an eternity for the lions, he replied, "I remember something... Yes... Her fur. Parts of it looked like she just had had a bad case of the mange."

Chiku felt the ground sink beneath her feet. "Oh, no..."

The whole Pride look around, and until then they noticed that Tisha had not returned after she went to have a talk with Kamaria, right before Salehe made his announcements.

"Where the hell is Tisha?" Salehe's voice rumbled deeply.

"I left her talking to my mother, just a while ago..." came Chiku's choked-up voice, from amidst all the commotion.

Kamaria gasped loudly, bringing a paw to her mouth and looking sincerely worried. "Tisha said that tonight you and I would be sharing the same niche again..." she told Salehe, "Oh, dear heavens, I thought she'd just try to talk to Johari and let her know how important this is to me... But now I am not so sure what Tisha's intentions were. Judging by what we just heard, they can't be all that good... We have to find them!"

The Pride followed Chiku's lead, while Meru took off quickly before the lions could hurt him. But they found out that the two lionesses were not where Chiku had last seen them. They began to follow their trail, heading into the bush, hoping they could get to Johari and Tisha before it was too late.


	15. Time for Confessions

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 15: Time for Confessions**

Johari had followed Tisha silently for several minutes, when she finally looked up and said, "Um, don't you think we're far enough already? I'm quite sure no one will hear us talking here."

Tisha smiled quickly to herself, and turned to Johari. "Forgive me for being direct and to the point, but I don't feel like beating around the bush. Are you going to decline Faraji's offer?"

Johari looked at her, startled. "Er, that's really none of your business. Besides, I thought you were going to tell me something serious about Kamaria, or not?"

"We'll get to that in a moment. And it is my business, since the outcome of this whole thing could seriously affect the well-being of my best friend. I really need to know, Johari."

Johari frowned, not sure why she was being questioned by her in this manner.

"I still don't think this concerns you, but my answer to you is the same one I gave to Kamaria earlier: I don't know. I need time to think, and I haven't had any. First Chiku, then you... What do I have to do to get a quiet moment around here?"

Tisha frowned slightly. "You shouldn't even have to think about it. You don't love Salehe, and Kamaria does. Why would you keep standing between them? Isn't the answer clear as day? You have to say no."

"I don't _have _to do anything, Tisha. Don't you dare judge me until you've walked a mile in my paws. I do owe Salehe a lot, and although I don't think that being his mate is the best way to show him my gratitude, it would make him very happy. It's a thought that's crossed my mind and I can't ignore it. It's not as simple as you think it is. If I say no, I'd be throwing away our friendship down the drain, can't you see?"

"It's quite a problem, then... You're looking for the well being of your friend, and I for mine. But one of them is going to end up hurt, and it won't be Kamaria, not if I have a say in this."

"You don't have a say, Tisha," Johari replied, becoming annoyed.

"Listen..." Tisha replied, looking very serious, an expression that Johari rarely saw on her usually friendly face.

"I'm going to share a secret of mine with you. No one but Kamaria knows about this."

Johari sighed deeply, wanting nothing more than to just go find Yamile already, but she paid her attention and listened politely.

"When Kamaria and I were still young cubs, she actually risked her life to save mine."

Johari looked surprised, and continued to listen raptly.

"I had ran off on my own and got into trouble with a couple of cheetah cubs," Tisha went on, "We got into a fight over nothing, really, and I was doing fine, until their mother came to their rescue. They were a bit younger than I was, so she was being very protective of them. She managed to get a hold of me, and was not in the mood to send me off with a warning. She actually had wrapped my nose in her mouth, trying to suffocate me. All I remember is that I passed out at some point. To this day, I'm still not sure how she did it, but when I came to, Kamaria had showed up and somehow managed to hurt the cheetah in one eye. The three of them left rather quickly after that. I wouldn't be here, if it hadn't been for her."

"Wow..." Johari whispered, "How come no one knows about this?"

"I was supposed to be grounded... And I was messing around in cheetah territory anyway. I'd only get a harsher punishment if the Pride found out. So she agreed she wouldn't tell anyone, and since then, we became best friends. I promised her then that I'd always be there for her, to help her out whenever she needed it. I still live by that promise, to this day."

Johari looked at Tisha intently. "I see... No wonder you two are so close, and you care for her a lot. You would do anything for her, right?"

"Oh, yes, definitely," Tisha replied, becoming nervous again.

Johari sensed it, not understanding the reason why. Why is her rejection to Salehe's proposal so important to her?

"I already returned the favor to her, by the way," Tisha added, as she started pacing around slowly, "I chased away a leopard that was about to kill her."

"Oh... Really? When was that? Also during cubhood?" Johari asked.

"No. It was very recently, actually. Hmm, right around the same time you and Salehe were fooling around," Tisha replied with a hint of bitterness in her voice, "Kamaria was so distraught by the whole thing that she willingly lay in front of the leopard, to receive the killing bite."

"You're lying..." Johari said, standing up and walking to Tisha, looking quite shocked. She had always thought of Kamaria as the strongest lioness in the Pride. "That can't be true!"

"Sadly, it is true, Johari. And this brings me back to the very beginning and the reason why I brought you here to talk in the first place: I will not let you or Salehe push Kamaria to that state, ever again. I'll go to any lengths to make sure of that. So if you're wise, and you know what's best for everyone in this Pride, you will reject Salehe's proposal," Tisha said firmly, looking into Johari's eyes in a defiant staring contest.

Johari had never seen Tisha like this. Tisha's usually quiet demeanor had disappeared, and in front of Johari stood a fierce lioness trying to assert her dominance at all costs. There was a calculating look in Tisha's eyes that reminded her of Kame, with that coldness that could pierce through one's skin. It was then when Johari's eyes opened wide in realization and she cursed out loud. "It was you, wasn't it? You were the one who talked the black heron into getting in touch with the rogues, and told them to come back... You wanted me dead at their paws, for the sake of your best friend..." she told her.

Tisha blinked, dropping her eye contact for just a moment. She hadn't expected Johari to figure it out. She had been clueless to Adla, Chiku and Johari's suspicions of an inside job, so she was taken aback slightly.

"I want the truth, Tisha," Johari demanded, shaking slightly as she tried to hold herself back and not lash at her right away.

Tisha decided to be honest with her and she nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry, but if I had to choose between her and you as my leader, I'd choose Kamaria a hundred times first. And those rogues were clearly not as threatening as everyone said, if you and Chiku made it back home with just a few scratches."

"Oh don't you even get started on that, you don't know half of what happened between us and the rogues! And not only did you put myself in danger, but my daughter as well, you psycho!" Johari yelled, baring her fangs, "What kind of messed up way do you have for dealing with problems?"

Tisha frowned deeply. She didn't talk back often, but today she was not holding back at all. "Well, considering how you and your daughter were useless, not contributing to the hunt, nor doing any cub-raising... I just figured that you wouldn't be a great loss to the Pride, and your absence would give Kamaria the stability that she needed to recover from her dip."

"Useless, are we? You're right, training extremely hard, day and night, to be able to defend your sorry ass in case of trouble... Yup, useless all right," Johari snarled, feeling very angry once again at how Tisha and Kamaria tended to dismiss all her arduous work as something not worthy of importance. "Why didn't you target Salehe then? He was the one putting the moves on me, and not the other way around, you crazy, obsessed freak..."

"Well, Kamaria loves Salehe," Tisha replied matter-of-factly, ignoring her insults, "It would have upset her greatly if I had caused that good for nothing, unfaithful traitor any harm."

"Nice way to talk about your leader, and the father of your cubs," Johari hissed.

Tisha snorted derisively. "I've never seen him in that light. He might have fathered Bahiya all right, but that season with him was the most boring period of my life, ever. I tell you, Salehe is a disappointment, in more ways than one."

"And Damisi then?" Johari asked, with genuine curiosity.

"My milk dried up pretty quickly, and since I couldn't nurse Bahiya, I came into season again, perhaps a bit too soon. Salehe refused to assist me again, saying I had to wait a bit longer until I had recovered my energy, or something stupid like that. So I went and found me a rather handsome rogue that was just passing by. Now, _that's _how a lion should treat a lioness. Ah, Johari, if I could put it into words..."

"Don't," Johari said, looking disgusted, "but that explains where and how you got all those fleas."

Tisha let out a deep sigh. "Yes, I do have to admit, he wasn't the cleanest of lions. But he made up for it in other ways. Either way... A couple of days later, Salehe came to me and decided he wanted to spend time with me after all. I thought I might as well go ahead with it, to cover things up in case I had ended up pregnant from the rogue. Hmmph, I tell you, it was like having to nibble on a bone while the day before you gorged on a hippo."

"So Damisi-"

"She's definitely got the nose and the eyes of her real father, and his freckles too..." Tisha said, still reminiscing about the rogue in question.

Johari began pacing back and forth, finding it extremely hard to believe just how devious her Pride-mate had turned out to be. "How can you be so nonchalant about this? It's extremely serious! You've lied to the leader about him fathering your cub! Do you know the consequences this could have for Damisi? She could be banished, if he finds out!"

"Salehe's no leader of mine," Tisha spat, "I can't stand him, not then, not now, not ever. I tolerate him because of what he means to Kamaria, but the way he let this Pride down is disgraceful. Did you know Faraji had to run the joint while you were gone, because the so-called leader was too distraught by your absence, that he didn't even protect the borders anymore? He just sat there, all day long, doing nothing."

Johari had indeed heard about this; Adla had filled her in about what happened while she and Chiku were gone. "Yeah, well, you're taking it all out on the wrong lion, Tisha. I did not force him to fall for me, nor to sit on his bum all day while I was gone. Can't you see that? You need to take this with him directly, and leave me the hell alone."

"I won't quit until you promise you will not accept Salehe's request."

Johari walked to Tisha and snarled, while baring her teeth very close to her face. "Stop acting like you have the upper hand here. I could slice you open with my eyes closed, so back off. After what you've done to me and my daughter, it's the least you deserve."

Tisha rolled her eyes and started circling Johari slowly. "Of course, I already knew you'd resort to violence. It's _so _you. Only I'm not dumb; I know I don't stand a chance against you."

"Sucks to be you, then. You'll have to finish what you started, Tisha, and it ends right here, tonight," Johari said, her anger building up even more as she stared at Tisha's calm and almost bored expression.

"I didn't come here looking for a fight, you know. All I wanted was to ask you to leave Salehe alone."

"And you honestly think I won't retaliate for what you did to Chiku and me? You must think I'm so stupid, that I will just simply step aside and let you get away with what you did? You didn't see what those rogues did to Ishara, and you didn't hear what they were planning to do with me, and with Chiku..."

Tisha let out a deep breath, shaking her head. "Cut it out with the rogues already! It was obvious that you were planning on going to look for them anyway, am I wrong? So, basically, I just helped you a bit along the way. Think of it as a favor."

"Oh, yes, great favor that was. Regardless of whether I was planning to seek them out or not, sending us to battle when Chiku hadn't even reached adulthood yet and was still busy with her training... That was such a low, filthy and despicable move, Tisha. So you had a bone to pick with me, why would you involve my daughter? Don't you feel any shame or remorse?"

"Of course I did feel sorry for Chiku. I would have preferred she didn't go with you. Such a young life, going to waste under your pathetic care and fighting for your cause. But why are you blaming me? It was you who decided to raise her with the sole purpose of throwing her to the rogues. It was you who allowed her to come with you, even though you knew she was not ready. So let me ask you, don't _you _feel any shame or remorse?"

Johari went very quiet, as her jaw began to quiver, while Tisha's words pierced her like a razor-sharp claw.

"Why are you making such a fuss anyway?" Tisha went on, "You both made it back. The rogues are dead, like you wanted, so I don't really see the problem here. Well, not for you anyway. It would all have worked out better for me, and eventually Kamaria, if you had never returned."

Johari's ears drooped considerably. To hear from the mouth of someone she considered a friend, that things would be better if she had died, it filled her with immense sorrow. Johari wanted nothing more than to run away, and seek comfort in Yamile, but she knew she could not leave the Pride under these circumstances. She had to go back to the lair and talk to Chiku and Adla about this.

"I see," Johari finally whispered, "Don't worry, I promise I won't trouble you or Kamaria for much longer. But right now, this conversation is over. I'm going back to the lair."

Tisha shook her head as she blocked her path. "You still haven't told me that you'll decline Salehe's offer."

"Fine, I'll decline it! Now step aside!"

Tisha gave her a little, mean smile. "Hmm, that sounded very insincere. Sorry, but I don't believe you. Besides, do you really think I'm stupid enough to let you go back to the lair, knowing what you know, telling everyone what I did? We can't have that."

Johari looked at her, baring her teeth. "So you're not letting me go home. And you said you didn't want to settle this down with a fight. So what in the world do you want?"

Tisha looked deep into Johari's eyes, the smile fading completely from her face. "I guess I will have to finish what the rogues could not."

Johari let a loud laugh, looking everything but amused. She adopted a combat stance, and snarled, "Fine, then so be it, but we're doing it my way."

Johari didn't say more and jumped at Tisha with extended claws. Tisha quickly stepped aside, ducking close to the ground. Johari launched another attack, but Tisha once more kept avoiding her claws and dodging her blows.

Johari snarled loudly. She had been trained to block attacks and bites, but she seldom practiced with Salehe what to do when your opponent just kept being defensive, while jumping and running away. She would have to try and trick Tisha into jumping in the wrong direction.

But what Tisha lacked in fighting skills, she made up for in dodging abilities. The lioness was quick and seemed to be reading Johari's mind. They continued this dance for several minutes. Johari kept advancing while Tisha retreated more and more into the bushes.

Johari started losing her cool, and her anger began impairing her judgment. She stared intently at Tisha, who still looked quite calm, concentrating hard on her every move.

"I can keep this up all day, how about you? Are you ready to try things my way instead?" Tisha said calmly, watching Johari had already started to pant.

"The way of a coward? I think I'll pass," Johari snarled and jumped once more at Tisha, who carried on backing up.

Johari quickly glanced at her surroundings. She noticed Tisha kept backing up in the same direction. Was she leading her somewhere? Had she planned an ambush with someone else? Surely no one else in the Pride could have been involved in her scheme, Johari refused to even contemplate the possibility. However, she still checked the area, just in case, but she could not detect the scent of anyone else, and she could not discern any other golden shapes hiding between the foliage.

Johari decided that she had to be very quick, and jump further than usual. If she could land one single blow with her paw and startle Tisha for a moment, she would get the upper hand. With this thought in mind, Johari used all her strength to try and cover as much distance with her jump, but Tisha, instead of jumping aside or backing up, she ducked and rolled underneath Johari.

Johari noticed that she had flown right over Tisha, and tried to correct her position in mid-air, to land in such a way that she was at least still facing her opponent. The lioness landed on a soft bed of branches and leaves, but let out a scream when these gave in under her weight. The branches were actually covering a hole, deep enough to make it difficult for a lion to come out.

Johari fell to the bottom with a loud thud, creating a cloud of dust that made her cough and sneeze. Her left hind leg promptly began experiencing shooting pains. Johari examined it quickly, and determined it was not broken, just sprained. She looked up and saw Tisha staring down at her.

Johari let out a loud roar, and began trying to climb the steep and slippery walls around her.

Tisha smiled victoriously and said, "So, I guess we'll be doing things my way, after all... I can now go tell the Pride how you tragically fell into a hole and met your demise there. By the way, I'd stay still and be quiet, if I were you. You don't want to wake them up."

Johari stopped struggling for a moment and pricked her ears. There was indeed something else stirring down in that hole. Johari's eyes widened as she felt the blood rushing to her head. This was the area where Faraji had found some snake nests. She went very quiet, holding her breath, and listened intently. The sound of a snake slithering around her became quite obvious then.

"Please," Johari told the snake, "I mean no harm, I just fell here, I'm not on the prowl, I won't hurt you..."

The sound of Johari's voice carried up all the way to the top of the hole, where Tisha let out a loud laugh, echoing along. "It sounds like you're wetting yourself down there! Oh, wait, I had almost forgotten; you're terrified of snakes, aren't you? Didn't Salehe teach you how to fight against these small, pathetic creatures?"

Johari didn't look up, she was desperately trying to determine the location of the snake. "I swear I mean no harm," she kept repeating, hoping to calm the snake down. She could even scent her own fear, as much as she tried to fight it.

The slithering sound came to a stop, and it was then when Johari noticed the snake's head, only inches away from her leg. Its head reared upwards and it stared at Johari intently, sticking out its tongue in the air, probably scenting her fear as well. As Johari's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she noticed there was a very small cavity by the ground on the opposite side. She assumed that's where the snake had come from.

Johari tried to back up, but there was no much room to move. She kept pleading at the snake to leave her alone.

Tisha spoke again, sounding slightly bored, "That snake has no ears, you know. You could be telling it something nasty about its mom, and it wouldn't know any better."

"Don't listen to her!" Johari said, her voice shaking as much as her body now. She even wished she was facing Kame and Ubaya all over again instead, rather than being in such a compromising position with a snake at her heels. Whether the snake could hear her or not, it didn't matter, she continued to speak to it, trying to be soothing.

The snake could tell the lioness really meant no harm, she was doing her best to stay away from her. It looked up at Tisha, who seemed rather unconcerned about the whole situation.

Johari, in her panic, began climbing up the hole walls again, but Tisha wouldn't let her out and kept swiping her claws at Johari's paws to make her fall down again, preferably on top of the snake.

Johari's strength began to fail her, and she slid down to the bottom again, glancing fearfully at the snake, who had been watching everything intently. It hissed at Johari, which made her cringe.

"What are you waiting for?" Tisha yelled at the snake out of frustration.

To Johari's amazement, the snake retreated for a moment, giving her some space. She heard Tisha curse out loud, and not long after, sticks and stones began raining down up on her and the snake. Tisha was trying to upset it, and the snake reacted angrily when a stick landed on top of its head. It reared itself upwards again and hissed more loudly, exposing its black mouth and long, deadly fangs to Johari.

Johari roared loudly, calling for help. Her fear gave her renewed strength and tried to climb out again, but Tisha once more sent her down with a swipe of her paws. When Johari hit the bottom again, she was horrified to see that there were two more snakes, probably attracted by all the commotion. Johari continued roaring, as loud as she could, calling for Salehe and for Chiku.

Her panic and roaring was upsetting the new snakes too, who were now hissing along loudly. Johari noticed that the first snake had turned around and appeared to be addressing the other two. She could not understand what they were saying, their method of communication and body language was different, but it did seem that it was able to calm the other two down. The three of them turned and stared at Johari intently. They would start hissing at any slight movement she made, so Johari remained frozen, while tears ran down her face.

"Not like this... Mom, Ishara... please don't let me end like this, I beg you..." Johari silently prayed.

Tisha had lay down on her belly, her head hanging over the hole's exit. Seeing the snakes had calmed down, she began throwing sticks at them once again. The hissing resumed, and it attracted yet more members from the nest. Johari refused to count how many snakes were there now, she simply closed her eyes tight, and hoped that someone had heard her calls for help.

"Darn it, aren't you supposed to bite anything that moves? You're dumb like that! Go on!" Tisha egged the snakes on, hoping to make Johari panic again.

Johari heard the taunting and only closed her eyes tighter. She expected more horrible remarks from above, but all Johari could hear was Tisha cursing out loud, and a very loud roar following her nasty words. It was a roar she knew very well and which filled her with hope. It belonged to Chiku.

Johari dared to open her eyes and looked up. Tisha was no longer by the hole, so she gave it another try to climb out. As she glanced down, she saw about ten snakes, at least, circling and slithering at the bottom. If she were to fall again, she would certainly crush at least one of them and probably get bitten. Johari could not fail this time. The lioness dug her claws firmly and began her way up, while she could hear the sounds of battle going on above her. Chiku was certainly fighting against Tisha, and judging by Salehe's growls, he was helping her too.

Johari could hear them talking agitatedly, but she could not understand what they were saying. The last thing she heard clearly was Tisha's voice saying _'down with me...'_, and Johari then had to brace herself when all of a sudden, Tisha's whole body covered the exit of the hole, blocking the moonlight for just a moment. She must have lost her footing and fell down too. However, the hole was so narrow that the the bodies of the two lionesses collided against each other. Johari felt Tisha's body brush against her as she slid downwards, but Tisha had tried to hold onto her on the way down, and one of her paws dug itself painfully into Johari's flank.

Johari let out a load roar of pain, and could not hold herself any longer. The weight from Tisha flailing and hanging from her side was just too much to handle, and she began sliding down. Johari began kicking with her good hind leg, and with a quick motion, she swiped one of her forepaws right on the paw Tisha was using to hang on to her. She then held on quickly to the wall of the hole.

Her swipe had the desired effect, Tisha plummeted down to the bottom, but so did Johari, although she managed to hold on just in time before she reached the ground.

The hissing from the snakes below became unbearable. But Tisha's loud, painful screams began to overpower them easily.

"Climb, Johari, climb!" Johari heard Salehe's voice calling from above.

Johari tried her best, but she kept sliding down. Her strength had left her. "I'm sorry... I can't..."

"Mom! Think about Yamile, she needs you!" Chiku yelled, trying to encourage her.

Johari closed her eyes tight, thinking about the sweetest of lionesses, the one that brought happiness into her life. She took a deep breath, and opened her eyes. She began climbing once more, trying to ignore the commotion below her, but she could not help taking a quick a glance. Tisha was covered in snakes, and just out of the corner of her eye, Johari caught a glimpse of one of them going straight for her own, wounded hind leg, which was dangling close to the bottom.

Johari felt a stinging pain. She knew she had been bitten. Another stinging pain followed, and another. The adrenaline rush she felt at that moment propelled her forwards, using only her forepaws and her good hind-leg to climb up. She saw Chiku and Salehe staring down the hole, and they were holding their paws out to her.

"Just a bit further, come on!" Salehe encouraged her.

Johari used the last of her strength to reach him. She felt two sturdy paws getting a hold of her, and she was pulled out from the hole. By then, Johari's bitten leg was already throbbing with intense and unbearable pain.

Johari looked around, dazed. She saw the whole Pride gathered there, and muttered, "It was Tisha..."

"We know, mom, we know... Meru confessed just now. That's why we came looking for you..." Chiku said, trying to calm her down. "It's all right now, don't worry, you're safe..."

Johari shook her head and whispered, "A snake got me..."

Salehe's eyes grew wide and inspected Johari's wounds. He found three bites to her leg. She might have been able to make it through with one bite, and that's already unlikely enough, but three of them... He knew then that Johari's minutes were counted. He let out a loud roar of frustration, and flopped next to her, nuzzling her gently.

"Please... Don't you die on me... I thought I had lost you once... I can't take it again! I relieve you from the commitment I imposed on you, and we can stay friends, just like you wanted! Please, Johari, you have to fight this..."

"I'd live, if it was up to me, Salehe..." Johari replied softly as she looked at the Pride. Almost everyone was crying, even Kamaria. Johari felt terrible for having doubted her, and called her over.

Kamaria approached, drying her face with a paw.

"She did it for you..." Johari said, "She wanted you to be happy with Salehe... I am sorry that I thought you had planned all this..."

"I'm sorry about everything too, Johari... I swear I had no idea Tisha would go to these lengths to keep a promise she made to me ages ago."

"I know... She told me..."

Johari closed her eyes when Kamaria bent over to nuzzle her. The lioness then stepped back, to give room to Chiku and Damisi, who were standing nearby.

Johari looked at Damisi and, as if for the first time, she noticed indeed that the lioness had slightly different features from the rest of the Pride. She never thought too much about it, but now that she knew the truth, Damisi's bright blue eyes appeared very striking. Those eyes didn't run in the family. It was then when Johari decided to take this secret to her grave, and would not cause Damisi or Salehe any additional grief. She simply smiled and told her, "Take good care of Chiku, will you?"

"No, mom, don't say that! You're a fighter, and we're trained to withstand pain, remember? You just have to block it out..." Chiku interrupted.

"I'm sorry, but Ubaya was right... There _is _a threshold, and I just crossed mine. I can't block this pain anymore..." Johari let out a ragged sigh. It was becoming harder and harder to inhale, and when she tried to move her paws, she found out that the venom had already paralyzed half of her body. She tried to turn towards Chiku and whispered, "My sweet girl... Do you remember our promise? The one we made by the lake?"

Judging by Chiku's expression, she remembered all too well. But she shook her head with determination. "No. I won't do it."

"You have to. Remember, we agreed on it when we went to fight the rogues... This situation is no different. Help me out, my dear. The pain is unbearable... Please, just do it, and go tell Yamile..."

Salehe looked at Chiku for a moment. "What is she talking about?"

Chiku's jaw began to quiver. "We agreed that if the rogues managed to hurt one of us to the point of no recovery, the other one would relieve her from her misery," she replied, making the rest of the lionesses gasp and sob.

Salehe nodded, understanding what Johari was asking from Chiku now. He turned to the lioness, whose legs were visibly cramping up. They were stretched out at a weird angle, her toes spread wide and her claws completely extended. Johari couldn't help herself and began groaning and trying to stifle cries of pain.

"Please! Chiku! Do it now!" Johari insisted, screaming louder, not able to hold back anymore.

Chiku looked at her. There was no saving Johari, and she knew it. The only thing she could do for her now was listen to her pleas, and cut her suffering short. The young lioness lioness sat down closer to her mother.

"I'm sorry, for everything, Chiku, please forgive me..." Johari cried.

"Shhh," Chiku replied, "I'm not angry at you, mom. I love you. Just focus on that."

Chiku was about to lean over Johari's throat, but Salehe stopped her, placing a paw on her shoulder.

Chiku looked up at him, with questioning eyes.

"I can't let you do this... She's your own mother..."

"Will _you _help her, then?" Chiku asked.

Salehe nodded. "Yes. It's the least I can do, for all the problems that my feelings caused her."

Chiku nodded and stepped aside, glad that she didn't have to give the killing bite herself.

Johari was shedding tears again, and at the sight of Salehe, she could only whisper a soft, "Thanks, friend..."

Salehe snuggled close to her, and nuzzled her gently. "Are you ready?"

Johari took one look at him, and with a choked up voice, she said, "Almost... Who pushed her down the hole?"

Salehe looked at her as he replied, "Tisha actually jumped on her own. She didn't count on being exposed, and seemed to have lost her mind at the sight of the whole Pride, including Kamaria, turning against her. She must have realized she was in deep trouble, but before she jumped, she said she'd take you down with her."

Johari let out a deep, ragged breath, and whispered, while she looked at the lions gathered around her, "Okay... I'm ready..."

The pride whispered a soft good-bye to her. Adla had even hidden her face in Faraji's mane, since she didn't like to cry in public. Faraji held her close, while Bahiya and Damisi comforted each other. Faiza and Etana were also nuzzling, drying each other's tears. Only Gasira had remained in the lair with little Safi, but they were all sure that the news would shock her as well.

Salehe gathered all his strength, and held Johari close. "You'll always be my first and only love... I'll never forget you," he said, not caring who was listening along.

Johari tried to reply, but the pain wouldn't allow her anymore. She screamed again, while her whole body felt like it was being set on fire.

Salehe couldn't stand seeing Johari suffering like that, so he quickly leaned over and gave her the gentlest killing bite that he could muster, silencing Johari completely in the process, making the Savannah seem eerily quiet all of a sudden. He didn't crush her wind-pipe, but only sealed the passage of air as gently as he could. Salehe barely even used his teeth. He didn't need to apply any force, as Johari was unable to fight him back, even if she panicked before the end. All he wanted was to cause her the least pain possible. He stayed in that position, until Johari's chest moved no more. His own tears mixed with Johari's as they rolled down his face and onto her fur.

When Salehe confirmed she had stopped breathing, he then released her gently, and cried over the body of her beloved, letting out a loud, mournful roar.

The lionesses roared along, respectfully, and remained silent after that, the silence being broken only by sniffling and sobbing.

"Would you like to take her somewhere?" Salehe asked Chiku, once he had recovered his composure.

"Yeah. Anywhere away from these snakes. Mom was absolutely terrified of them. They're the only thing I ever saw her running away from like a scared cub. Oh, man... All her training, all the hard work, and she ended up like this... Betrayed by a Pride-mate and bitten by a damn snake... She must have been so scared..." Chiku said, bursting into tears, not caring for a change who was watching.

Damisi and Adla quickly walked to her and tried to comfort her. "We're here for you, you don't have to do this on your own. Tell us where we need to bring her..." Adla said.

Chiku looked up, looking at Adla's tear-stained face, and mumbled between sobs, "I know of a place that meant a lot to her..."

"You lead the way," Salehe replied.

He tried lifting Johari on his back, but the lioness' muscles were so stiff that they appeared to be petrified. There was no way he could carry her like that. Instead, Chiku took one of Johari's forelegs in her mouth, while Salehe took one of the back legs, and they lifted her off gently. Damisi and Adla took a hold of the other two paws and helped carry Johari.

The Pride began following Chiku, except Kamaria, who lagged behind slightly. She waited for a short moment, and then turned around, heading back towards the hole. She peered down, and gasped to see that the snakes had finally retreated back to their nest, and Tisha lay dead at the bottom, her face frozen in a grimace of fear and pain. Her legs were painfully outstretched too, and she was covered from top to bottom in snake bites.

Kamaria sat down for a moment, closing her eyes and shaking her head, not able to stand the sight of her best friend lying like that. She began crying loudly. "I know what you were trying to do..." she said, lifting her head and looking up at the sky, "I wish I could sincerely thank you, but, Tisha, my friend, you messed up real badly. What in the world possessed you to do such a thing? Was it my fault, for trying to give up my life?"

The lioness dried her face with a paw and looked down the hole again.

"I'm really sorry things had to end this way for you. I can only hope you had time to feel regret for what you've done. Good bye, my friend..."

Kamaria turned around, and began following the trail of the rest of the Pride with a very heavy heart.

* * *

Chiku had led the lions to the acacia where she had found her mother with Yamile, confessing their feelings for each other. She couldn't think of a happier place where Johari would like to have her final rest.

Salehe and Chiku placed the lioness softly on the ground, and one by one, they all began saying farewell, and heading back to the lair.

Damisi waited for Chiku at a considerable distance, but came closer when Chiku called her over. Only her, Salehe and Kamaria were left.

"I'll be gone for a few days," Chiku told the three of them, "Not sure when I'll be back, but I don't think it will be long."

"Where are you going?" Salehe asked.

"I'm going to search for Yamile. She's a very good friend my mom made after defeating those rogues. Mom's final wish was for me to go and let her know, so I don't want to waste any time."

Salehe nodded. "I see. Would you like someone to go with you?" he asked, eying Damisi.

Damisi looked at Chiku and replied, "I'll gladly go with you, if you let me."

Chiku looked thoughtful for a moment, and whispered, "Only if you really want to... Um, but what about your mother? You don't want to get her out of there?"

Damisi shook her head. Damisi hadn't really been close to her mother, since Tisha preferred to spend her time either alone or with Kamaria. "Even if we could get her out, she doesn't deserve it. She acted like a poisonous snake herself, and had to pay the price. Bahiya is also broken-hearted, and doesn't even want to talk about it with me right now. So I could stay here, but it'd be of no use. I'd prefer to go with you."

Chiku nodded, accepting Damisi's offer. She dried her face with a paw, and turned once more to Johari's body, nuzzling her one last time. "Good bye mom, I'm gonna go find Yamile now. You watch over me from the stars, okay?"

Damisi and Chiku turned around and walked away, with their heads hanging low.

Salehe and Kamaria watched the two lionesses go, and then focused on Johari, lying in front of them.

"I swear I had no idea that Tisha had been planning this all the time... I had no clue it would all end up this way, please believe me..." Kamaria said.

Salehe turned to Kamaria, who had seemed sincerely shocked and hurt by everything that happened. "I believe you," he said, "I know you were as shocked as the rest."

Kamaria sat down and told Salehe all about what happened when they were cubs, and how Tisha had always kept an eye on her ever since then. She had never spoken about this with anyone, but she wanted to let it out now. Salehe listened intently, while still staring at Johari's still body every now and then.

Salehe was very understanding, and even embraced Kamaria when she too broke again into tears, crying for her best friend, and for Johari.

They held each other for a long time, until Kamaria broke the embrace. "I'll leave you alone now," Kamaria said, "So you can say your last good-bye to her in peace."

Salehe nodded appreciatively.

Kamaria gave him a kiss on his cheek, and walked towards the lair, but once Salehe was out of view, she switched paths, and headed towards the borders instead. The fact that the closest lions to her, including her own daughter, believed her to be capable murderer, was a thorn dug deeply into Kamaria's heart. They didn't even apologize for blaming her. She felt they didn't respect her anymore, and Kamaria felt she had nothing to go back to. Even the prospect of maybe getting reunited with Salehe was not motivational enough.

Kamaria reached the border of the Eyasi territory, and looked over her shoulder one last time. She knew Faraji and Adla would be able to take care of the Pride, so she didn't feel too worried about walking away and leaving them behind. The lioness crossed the border, and continued walking without looking back.

Salehe eventually returned to the lair, looking dirty and dusty. He found the lionesses still looking very distraught. They had already filled Gasira in on what had happened, and everyone was still in a state of shock.

Adla looked up when she saw Salehe approaching, but frowned when he didn't see Kamaria with him.

"Where's mother? I really need to talk to her and apologize for what happened..."

Salehe frowned. "You mean she's not here? She left much earlier than I did..."

The lionesses looked at each other nervously.

"Maybe she wanted to be alone? Or perhaps she went to take care of Tisha's body?" Adla asked once again.

Salehe shook his head. "I've done that myself, I've gone and covered that hole with dirt," he said, showing them his muddy paws. He knew Kamaria had already tried suicide once, and given the circumstances, Salehe now feared for her life. He didn't mention this to the Pride, but he went on to say, "I will go search for her, just to make sure she's fine."

The lion also informed the rest about Chiku and Damisi's short trip, and after that, he took off quickly, trying to trace Kamaria's trail.

The lionesses waited impatiently at the lair, some of them still crying, while the others tried to be comforting. Faraji especially did his best to make them feel better, nuzzling them and letting them find comfort in his mane. But in the end he settled next to Bahiya and very discretely he wrapped his tail firmly around hers, for just a very short moment.

Bahiya appreciated the gesture, and just like every other lioness had already done, she snuggled her face in his mane and remained like that for a long time. No one but Adla thought anything of it.

Adla simply gave Faraji a small smile, and nodded slightly in approval.


	16. Moving On

**Lioness Tales**

_**Tale 2: Chiku's Training**_

**Chapter 16: Moving On  
**

Chiku and Damisi walked at a brisk pace, discussing what had happened. Damisi confessed that she had never seen her mother acting suspicious, but then again, she also admitted that she barely saw her mother at all as of lately. Since the very beginning, Tisha never seemed to look forward to spending much time with Damisi or Bahiya. She blamed it on the fleas, but when the fleas were gone, Tisha still kept much to herself. So Damisi had stuck first to Adla and Bahiya, and then to Chiku, while enjoying the protective role she had assumed with her.

Even after the lionesses had grown up, and Chiku needed no protection from anyone, Damisi continued to play that role, and Chiku never really complained. Chiku still saw Damisi as a big sister, and would respect her as such. She would look to her for comfort, which is why Chiku was so glad that Damisi had accepted to come along and look for Yamile.

They had walked for a couple of days, stopping only to eat and rest for a short while. Chiku was already used to these long walks, but Damisi had damaged her paw-pads, and was limping slightly. Still, the lioness did not complain, and kept up the pace. She felt it was the only thing she could do to try and make up for her mother's mistakes.

Chiku brightened up when they saw the silhouette of two lionesses in the distance. One of them was clearly limping. "Look, over there! It's them!"

Damisi looked into the distance and nodded. "Yeah... looks like the rest of their Pride has left them behind..."

"Come on, let's go..." Chiku said, taking a deep breath, gathering the courage to break the news to Yamile.

It was not long before the two lionesses in the distance noticed Chiku and Damisi approaching. They began walking faster, trying to look for a place to hide.

"Hey! Wait up! It's me, Chiku! Don't be afraid!" she called out loud, and began running faster, while Damisi did her best to keep up.

Afia and Yamile had stopped walking after hearing that it was the famous Chiku. They turned around, and walked towards her.

Chiku finally managed to catch up with them, panting slightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you..."

Afia, who had never seen Chiku before, tilted her head and whispered, "My, you look a lot like your mother, only younger... What are you doing all the way here?"

Yamile in the meantime looked at Chiku intently, while still hiding behind Afia.

"My mom received your message, saying that you guys were going back to your territory or something..."

Afia nodded, looking sad. "We're really sorry we couldn't say good bye, it happened so quickly, and our leader's patience had been running low. He was not willing to wait and ordered us to leave with him."

"Looks like he's abandoned you now, huh?" Chiku said, looking around.

Afia shrugged, rolling her eyes slightly. "Yeah, well, we're having trouble keeping up... But we'll get there, eventually."

Damisi caught up with them, and introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Damisi, Chiku's best friend," she announced proudly, making Afia smile, while Yamile glanced at her nervously.

"Nice to meet you," Afia replied sincerely, and then turned to Chiku once more. "So, is your mother around as well?"

Chiku sighed and shook her head. She turned to look at the scared face of Yamile for a moment, and addressed her softly, "Could you come here? Just for a bit? I need to tell you something important."

Yamile glanced from Chiku to Damisi, and eventually she took a few steps forward, sitting by Afia's side and leaning into her, as usual. Afia wrapped a paw around her and whispered reassuringly, "It's okay."

Chiku waited until Yamile looked more at ease under her sister's embrace, and cleared her throat. "My mom had decided to leave our Pride and come follow you," she whispered, "However, on her way here, she... She got bitten by a snake. She didn't make it..."

Chiku didn't have the heart to tell her that Johari's death had been caused by a fellow Pride-mate. She thought Yamile would accept the news better this way, thinking it was an unfortunate accident.

Afia closed her eyes and shook her head, while Yamile muttered something incomprehensible, staring shocked at nothing in particular.

"Her last wish was for me to come and let you know what happened, so that you wouldn't be wondering why she didn't come looking for you. Trust me, she had made up her mind and was looking forward to starting a new life together with you. You're the best that's ever happened to her, and I never saw my mom as happy as when she was by your side."

Yamile's eyes were now moist with tears, as she stared at the ground. She was trembling, and Afia tightened her embrace, licking Yamile's head gently.

"I'm really sorry to hear this, Chiku..." Afia said, "Your mother was a remarkable lioness. You have no idea how much she helped Yamile in the short time they spent together. We'll always remember her fondly, won't we, Yamile?"

Yamile nodded, sobbing loudly now, burying her face in Afia's chest.

Damisi looked at her intently. She wanted nothing more than comfort the poor lioness, but Chiku had already warned her that any sudden moves would startle her terribly. So instead she sat down quietly and watched as Chiku made her way to her, very slowly.

When Yamile turned away from Afia and opened her eyes again, she noticed she was almost face to face with Chiku. She cowered for a moment, but as she looked at Chiku, she could see Johari's eyes, looking back at her. Yamile didn't look away for once, and kept staring into Chiku's eyes for a long time.

Chiku didn't say anything, she simply allowed Yamile to process her sorrow in which ever way worked best for her.

Yamile finally looked away, and in a quick motion, she stood on two paws, trying to embrace Chiku with her forelegs.

Chiku chuckled as she helped Yamile keep her balance. "There... There we go..." she whispered, and then held her tight.

"Sorry for your loss..." Yamile said, hoping Chiku could understand her.

Afia was about to translate for her, but Chiku quickly replied, "And I'm sorry for yours. I hope the memory of my mom will be strong enough to keep you going, whenever things look rough..."

Yamile nodded, and released Chiku from her embrace. She sat on her haunches again. "Come with us?"

Chiku shook her head. "I'm sorry, I can't... They're waiting for me back at the Eyasi Pride... Don't want them to worry."

Yamile nodded understandingly. "I get it. Thanks, Chk," she said, not able to pronounce her name properly.

"Yes, thanks for coming all this way to let us know what happened. We really appreciate it," Afia added.

Chiku gave Yamile and Afia a quick head-butt. "No problem... I'm just sorry I had to be the bringer of bad news. Well... Good luck with the rest of the journey," she told them.

The lionesses bid each other farewell. Yamile and Afia continued on their way to the Nyaga territory, while Damisi and Chiku retraced their steps, leading back to the Eyasi lair.

* * *

Yamile hadn't said another word for the rest of the trip, no matter how much Afia tried to get her to share her sorrow. The lioness could not believe that the happiness she had just found was taken away so abruptly. She wondered what she did wrong to deserve such misfortune in her life. She had always been a good, well-behaved lioness, and she could not understand why all these bad things were happening to her. It was all so unfair, and she felt extremely resentful towards the world in general.

Afia opted to give her time to deal with her sorrow, but she continued to take good care of her. When they finally caught up with the rest of the Nyaga Pride, who had already settled back in their old territory, the lionesses welcomed them back half-heartedly, while Kubwa, the male leader, barely acknowledged their presence. He was extremely busy replacing his territorial marks, and trying to chase away the two Prides that were fighting over his lands. The lion had taken over the Nyaga Pride by force, sometime after Ubaya and Kame's attack. He was determined not to lose his precious lands.

Afia could already tell he was in a rotten mood, and she could also see that seeing Yamile back did not please him either. Kubwa was much into the idea of 'survival of the fittest', and Yamile didn't fit in this picture at all. Afia had kept her alive all this time, but since she was totally dedicated to her sister, the Pride could seldom count on her for hunting or cub-sitting. So little by little, the two of them had become more and more segregated from the group.

Yamile sniffed the soil in the area carefully. The place was unrecognizable except for a few land marks. Grass had already started to grow over the ashes left by the fire, but everything still gave off a very strange, pungent odor, and all their former marks had disappeared. Yamile did not feel at home in this place anymore. She felt restless and uneasy, craving to be back under that acacia, together with Johari.

As days went by, Yamile's mood did not improve in the slightest. She was still extremely sad, and Afia began to get worried.

"I know you must be feeling terribly down, but you gotta pull through this... You had become so active, and now you're back to doing nothing all day long... It's not good for you," Afia insisted, nuzzling Yamile with some urgency.

Yamile only looked away, sighing deeply.

Afia was about to insist, perhaps to invite her for a walk or something, when one of her Pride-mates approached her.

"Hey, Afia. Katika is not feeling well, so we need you to cover for her in the hunt. I suppose you can leave Yamile alone for a while, right?" the lioness said.

Afia glanced at Yamile for a moment. She didn't want to leave her alone, but on the other hand, Yamile had been rather distant, and for a change, she didn't seem to be looking for comfort in the shape of hugs and nuzzles. As such, Afia decided it would be okay to go and aid the hunting party this once.

"I'll go help them get something tasty to eat," Afia whispered in Yamile's ear, "I'll try to be back as soon as I can, okay?"

Yamile shrugged as she curled into a ball.

Afia sighed, and walked away with her Pride-mate, still looking very worried.

Yamile remained curled up in the same position as she stared ahead, looking sadly into the horizon, cursing her luck once again and wallowing in her misery. She was about to fall asleep, when she heard someone approaching. Yamile looked up startled, as she knew the lionesses were already gone. Maybe it was Katika, who stayed behind? Yamile gasped slightly when she noticed it was actually Kubwa, their leader, looking extremely sour.

He eyed Yamile, and looked around for a moment.

"Where's Afia?" he demanded.

Yamile remained curled up, looking away in submission. "Hunting," she mumbled.

"What did you say? Speak louder!" Kubwa snarled.

"Hunting," she repeated, louder this time and as clear as she could enunciate, while still trying to make herself as small as possible.

"Hmmph," the lion said, pacing around, looking displeased. "Has the hunting party been gone for long?"

Yamile shook her head in response, making Kubwa curse under his breath.

The lion eyed Yamile again and told him, "Then how about you make yourself useful, for a change?"

Yamile looked at him for a moment, not sure she understood what he meant. "What? Me?"

Kubwa approached her resolutely, making Yamile cringe. "Yes. All this fighting with the neighboring Prides is making me feel very on edge. I need to relieve some tension, and I need to do it right now."

Yamile's eyes opened wide as her pupils enlarged considerably. "No," she said, tucking her tail between her legs firmly.

"I'm not asking you, it's an order," Kubwa said, "So turn around and get in position."

Yamile shook her head once again and remained curled up, trembling from head to tail.

"Oh, for crying out loud," Kubwa snapped, "You're good for nothing! I ask you one thing, and you dare to refuse? Remind me again, why do I keep you around, eating from what my lionesses hunt, while you do absolutely nothing for the Pride in return?"

Yamile had started crying at that point, which only upset Kubwa further. He tried to make her stand up by force, and Yamile began roaring loudly, going into a panic fit. The sound of her roars carried far away, and Afia picked them up, looking very mortified. The lioness excused herself and turned around, running back to Yamile as fast as she could, while the rest of the huntresses rolled their eyes and sighed, exasperated. It had been too good to be true, thinking they could actually count on Afia for help during the hunt.

"Be quiet," Kubwa snarled at Yamile in the meantime, "It'll only take a few seconds!"

But Yamile kept roaring in fright as loud as her lungs could muster. She had soiled herself in her urine once more, but that didn't seem to deter Kubwa, who kept pushing her around, trying to get her to uncurl from her current position and flick her tail aside for him.

In the distance, Yamile could hear Afia screaming loudly, "I'm coming, Yamile, I'm coming!"

At the sound of Afia's voice, Kubwa took a few steps backwards, panting heavily.

"I'm here! I'm he-" Afia said as she climbed up the hill where Yamile had been resting, interrupting herself at the sight of Kubwa standing there. She looked at him, and then and Yamile, putting two and two together.

Afia swallowed with difficulty and walked to Yamile, whispering softly, "Don't worry, I'm here... I'll take care of things."

Yamile finally sprung upwards and clung to Afia, shaking like a leaf. She tried to tell her what Kubwa had just attempted to do, but she was speaking so fast that Afia could not understand a word she was saying. But she didn't need to. She knew what was going on; the look on Kubwa's face was unmistakable.

Afia wrapped a paw around Yamile and tried to soothe her. "Shh, it's okay, I'm here now... Calm down, he won't touch you."

"I came looking for you," Kubwa said, circling the two lionesses.

"Yeah, I already thought so," Afia replied, looking up at him. "Then why didn't you wait for me instead of bothering my sister?"

"It's about time she starts doing something in return for the food she eats, don't you think?" he replied nonchalantly.

"That was not what we had agreed," Afia snarled, making the trembling Yamile look at her, startled, "You promised she'd be allowed to stay, and you'd leave her alone!"

Yamile could not believe her ears. She had no idea that her sister had made any kind of special arrangements with the former rogue, just to keep her safe. So that was the reason why Kubwa left her alone all this time. But what did Afia agree to? What were the terms of their agreement? Yamile slowly released her sister from her embrace, dying to ask her all sorts of questions. She backed up a couple of paces, while Afia stared at the ground for a short moment, looking quite embarrassed.

Kubwa smiled at Afia and said, "Perhaps it's time we updated our terms. If you're not around when I need you to, I want _her _to serve the purpose."

Afia looked at him with so much hatred in her eyes, but she shook her head. "No... No. That won't be necessary. I promise I won't leave the lair again, without consulting with you first. But you'll have to promise to stay away from Yamile."

The lioness' expression then changed from anger into what she considered to be a seductive look, and she ran her tongue down Kubwa's cheek in an inviting kiss. "Do we have a deal? No more messing around with the terms of our pact?"

Kubwa nodded, looking satisfied with this resolution. He would rather mate with Afia than with Yamile anyway.

By then, Yamile had already realized what Afia had been doing all this time, just to help her keep her place in the Pride. She felt so sickened by it that she felt her stomach making a turn. Her eyes moistened with tears once again, and even if she could talk normally, she would still have problems to express just how saddened she was by all this.

"Come on, let's go somewhere quiet-" Afia started to say, but Kubwa placed his paw on her muzzle to silence her.

"Screw that, you've made me wait long enough, I don't want to wait any longer," he said as he walked around her and pressed her hips down to the ground with his forepaws.

"Please, not in front of her, I beg you..." Afia asked with a trembling voice, no wanting to be humiliated further in Yamile's presence, but Kubwa ignored her request, and he carried on, claiming her right there with no delicacy at all.

Yamile closed her eyes tight and covered her mangled ears with her paws, crying. She tried to drown with her own sobs the sound of her sister's muffled cries and growls of pain. If only she was brave and strong, like Johari... If only she could jump at him right now... But Yamile could not gather the courage to help Afia, and she hated herself for it.

Yamile didn't open her eyes again until she felt Afia's soft nose, nuzzling her gently.

Afia's muzzle was moist with tears, and she was shaking slightly, but her face sported a reassuring smile, feeling glad that she had arrived right on time to spare Yamile yet another traumatic experience in her life. She had been abused enough.

Yamile looked around quickly. Kubwa was nowhere to be seen anymore, so she stood up and tried to comfort Afia, for a change. The two lionesses dried each other's tears and whispered reassuring words to each other.

"Why?" Yamile asked eventually, sobbing slightly, "Why you do that?"

Afia sighed. "When he took over the Pride, he said we'd be leaving you behind... I could never do that. I thought about becoming nomads, but I was afraid to leave you all by yourself whenever I had to go hunting. By consenting to tending to his needs, I ensured we both could stay under the Pride's protection."

Yamile was inconsolable. She could have never imagined how far Afia had gone to keep her protected. She looked at her sister and nuzzled her gently. "You in pain?"

"I'm fine, don't worry about me," Afia replied, with an air that suggested she was already used to Kubwa's treatment, "I've learned to live with it and it's become almost routine."

Yamile shook her head, sighing. As much as Afia tried to make it seem like she didn't care, her trembling body and tear-stained face told her otherwise.

"Anyway," Afia added, "I told the huntresses to go on without me, so I'm staying here with you now. If they complain, they can take it up with Kubwa, since he's the one who held me here anyway..."

Yamile looked around, feeling quite oppressed by the atmosphere of this place, not being able to find comfort in her sister for once. She felt devastated after what happened that day. If the lioness had been lethargic before, it was nothing compared to how she acted days after the incident.

She lost all her appetite and refused to eat, and even when Afia forced a small rat down her mouth, Yamile could not hold it down and she threw it up not long after. But the lioness was not ill at all. Afia checked whether she might have been running a fever, but Yamile's health appeared to be in order.

Afia had the feeling that Yamile was simply not able to deal with the pain and heartache anymore. As if Johari's death had not been enough, finding out the price for her protection brought her down even more. Afia could understand Yamile, but she became very frustrated with her one evening, when she refused to eat for the umpteenth time.

"You have to eat, damn it!" she yelled at her, almost on the verge of tears, but Yamile only cringed away and looked scared, which softened Afia immediately. She quickly apologized for yelling at her, and resorted to holding Yamile close and nuzzling her, hoping to spark some life into her sister.

But Yamile's appetite did not return, despite Afia's tender and constant care. Yamile always had felt that she was a burden to her Pride, but to know how much of a heavy burden she was on her own sister, even if Afia didn't see it that way, it was just too painful to handle.

Now that she knew about Kubwa and Afia's pact, Yamile noticed that the lion summoned Afia to him quite often, sometimes even twice in the same day. Aware of what was going on, and feeling extremely guilty, Yamile simply lost all will to live. Her body and mind had given up. The only comfort she could find was in the thought that if she died, she would be able to free Afia of her commitment to Kubwa.

"I will die soon," Yamile weakly told Afia one day, after she had insisted once again that she ate something, in vain. "When I go, you go too. Far, far away. Promise?"

"Please Yamile... After all I've done, you can't do this to me... You're everything to me, what am I going to do without you? I need my little sister with me, please... Don't leave me like this..." Afia cried.

She kept trying and trying. But neither threats, pleas, begging and crying made Yamile change her mind, and it was during a windy and cloudy night that Yamile, weak and famished, fell asleep, only not to wake up again. Sadness had finally killed her.

Afia mourned for her for a couple of days, keeping guard over her body almost out of habit. Her only consolation was knowing that her sister was free of hurt and pain now. She was probably by Johari's side, enjoying her full and complete body once again, talking non-stop, singing loudly, and having fun.

She was still caressing Yamile's head gently, as a small smile spread on her face, thinking of her sister finally being happy. It was then when she heard Kubwa's load roar, summoning her to him.

Afia frowned deeply, and stood up, snarling slightly. "Not any more," she said softly, "Yamile was kind enough to give up her life to free me from your clutches, so you go and find yourself some other lioness to bully."

She couldn't help but thinking that it must have been quite a stroke of good luck that she didn't end up pregnant from Kubwa, when she was forced to spend her season with him. This meant Afia had no responsibilities tying her to the Nyaga Pride anymore. She was on her own now, free to do as she wanted.

The lioness did not hesitate for a moment. She bent over Yamile's body and kissed her goodbye one last time. She then ran away from the Nyaga territory, as fast as her paws could carry her, not looking back.

Kubwa found Yamile's body later on that evening, and from Afia's trail, leading to their borders and further away, he could tell the lioness would not be coming back any more. He grunted loudly, knowing the rest of the lionesses would be less eager and willing to give in to his demands. He turned around, looking moody, and glanced at Yamile's body with contempt. "Good riddance," he muttered.

The lion returned to the rest of the Pride and announced that they were now two lionesses short. Although the Nyaga lionesses didn't like Afia all that much, they would certainly miss her. They knew it was thanks to her arrangement with Kubwa, that the bad-tempered lion was kept in a reasonably good mood, and they were grateful to her for that. They also whispered a prayer for Yamile, wishing her peace and happiness in the afterlife.

* * *

When Chiku and Damisi finally made it back home, after several days of traveling, they were welcomed warmly by the Pride, glad to see them safe and sound.

"So... How are things around here? Did we miss anything?" Damisi asked, sitting on her haunches to rest her throbbing paws.

"You actually did," Adla replied from behind them.

Both lionesses turned around to see Adla limping towards them, keeping her right foreleg folded upwards, avoiding touching the ground.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" Chiku asked, examining the paw carefully. It looked swollen from the wrist, and there was a bit of a bruise.

"Well, it turns out my heart and mind were not into the hunt the other day. I got distracted, and the gazelle I was going after kicked me real hard. I bet you two would have loved seeing me fail at hunting for once, hmm?" Adla replied, giving them a smile.

"Darn, yeah! Too bad we had to miss that! _Perfect Adla loses her Perfect Hunting Streak_, I'd call it," Chiku said, winking at Adla and smiling back. "All joking aside... You'll be okay?" she added, more seriously.

"Yeah, don't worry. It's already looking a lot better, I should be back up and running a few days, you'll see."

"Not if I can help it," came Faraji's voice, who had been listening to them, "I still think you should take it easy, especially in your condition."

Damisi and Chiku turned to Adla, looking at her with wide eyes. "Oh... Have you confirmed that you're with cub?"

Adla nodded, looking down at her belly, trying to hide a grimace towards Faraji.

"Wow, we did miss a lot, eh, Chiku?" Damisi exclaimed, patting Adla's belly gently.

"There's more..." Adla whispered.

Damisi and Chiku looked at each other, and pricked their ears.

"Faraji and I are the official leaders now. Salehe has stepped down and left us in charge."

"What?" Chiku exclaimed, looking around, trying to locate the lion. "Oh, man... Did something happen to Kamaria?"

Adla nodded and invited them to sit down, so that she could explain what happened, while resting her injured paw.

Chiku and Damisi followed, glancing shortly at Faraji, who was getting ready to do his rounds, looking very serious and concentrated.

"Mother decided to leave the Pride, the same night you guys went to look for Johari's friend," Adla explained, "She was really heartbroken that we could think her capable of murder, that she didn't feel accepted or comfortable around us."

Chiku looked taken aback. "Damn... I really wanted to go and apologize to her, I never thought she'd just leave right away... So you haven't had the chance to talk to her?"

"I did. We got a message with Liwe, she said that Salehe and Mother were doing fine, but that he would be staying with her for a while, away from the Pride. He left me and Faraji in charge... Naturally, I got really worried, so I went looking for them."

"Was everything okay?" Damisi asked, still in shock.

"They're both fine. They're just trying to help each other get over their loss. None of them are in state of leading the Pride, that's for sure, they're too distraught. Anyway, I tried to explain to Mother why we were so suspicious of her, and she understood, but she was very angry that I never spoke with her directly about this. If I had, she might have even prevented what happened, by keeping Tisha in check."

Chiku sighed, feeling very guilty for doubting her. "Yeah, had we known..."

"How is Salehe coping? I mean, we all know he didn't take Johari's disappearance well last time..." Damisi asked.

Adla looked at her. "He's doing better than you'd think, given the circumstances. I think the fact that he knows what happened to Johari, and that he could actually say good bye, is helping him in dealing with her death. I also have the feeling he was actually trying to be strong, for Mother. He kept embracing her, and reassuring her that he would not let her down this time."

The lionesses fell silent for a short moment, while Adla pondered about the last time she saw Kamaria and Salehe. She had turned to look over her shoulder as she walked back to the lair, only to see Salehe and Kamaria holding each other, with tears on their faces. She was sure Salehe did care for Kamaria, perhaps not as strongly as for Johari, but she was glad that they could at least help each other in these difficult times.

Chiku interrupted the silence as she wondered out loud, "Do you think they'll be coming back?"

"I tried to persuade them to return," Adla replied, "not necessarily as leaders, if they didn't feel like it. But both Mother and Salehe refused. Mother said she simply needed time on her own, and Salehe..."

Adla paused, and looked at Chiku for a moment, making the lioness blink, expectantly.

"Salehe said he couldn't bear looking you in the face and seeing Johari looking back at him."

Chiku did not know what to reply, she simply looked away and stared into the distance. "Is it that obvious? My resemblance to her?"

Damisi smiled and nodded. "You do look quite a lot like your mom, now that you're all grown up. I can understand why Salehe might want to avoid you for a while... I mean, even Yamile's sister was impressed by how much you resembled each other."

Chiku couldn't hold back a deep sigh, thinking of the poor, mutilated lioness, holding her close like she had once held Johari at some point.

Chiku then turned to Adla again. "So... You're the leader now... How does it feel?"

"About the same," Adla replied, not sounding too excited, "Only it's hard to know that we got no one to turn to anymore, in case of any questions. Whatever Faraji and I do now, it'll all fall on our shoulders. Our training's over, and now the real game's begun."

"You're not on your own..." Bahiya said from behind her, making Adla jump slightly, "I'll gladly help you along."

"So will I..." Chiku added, "You and Faraji won't have to worry about rogues when I'm around, that's for sure. I'll carry on with mom's tradition of sending them all packing."

Damisi then sneezed very loudly, a sneeze that sounded too much like _'ExceptZende!'_, which made Chiku burst into laughter for a couple of seconds.

Adla raised an eyebrow, having missed their inside joke once again. But she felt their laughter lifting up her spirits. It was true, she was not alone. She had little to be afraid of, with a good mate, willing to do everything for her despite their feelings, or lack thereof, towards each other, and a couple of good friends to help her along the way. They all respected Adla and no one had any doubts that she would make an excellent leader. She had already proved that since she was a cub.

As weeks went by, Chiku's sadness and anger towards what had happened to her mother finally gave way to acceptance. She missed Johari greatly, more than she would have imagined. She had no idea what a great team they were, until now. Chiku would still have nightmares often, involving Kame and Ubaya, sometimes they would team up with Tisha too, to try and hurt her. But she would also dream of Johari, and of that game they played that thunderous night. There was no fighting, and no pain involved.

But once awake, Chiku would adopt a strong and fierce attitude, even with her Pride-mates. She was fearless, and to everyone's amazement, Chiku started to practice her fighting moves again, all on her own, every single day.

No one but Damisi knew about her softer side, and when the two lionesses were alone together, Chiku would snuggle close to her and would allow Damisi to pamper her a little, by massaging her sore muscles, or rubbing her tired paws. Damisi considered herself a very lucky lioness. She knew she wouldn't find a friend as loyal as Chiku in a million years.

In the meantime, Adla's paw had fully recovered, and she had already re-joined the hunting party and brought in several meals. Faraji was not too happy about this, but Adla, true to herself, would always get what she wanted, so she kept bringing in food, regardless of what Faraji would think or say.

The lion sometimes would lose his patience with her, but Bahiya always knew how to calm him down in secret.

However, Faraji, lost his temper one day, when Adla mentioned she had spotted a small herd of buffalo by the hunting grounds, with a couple of wounded females, and she was dying to give it a try and see if they could hunt one down.

The lionesses were all very excited, but Faraji immediately disapproved of her plan. He began telling Adla about all the dangers and risks that come with trying to bring down such a big animal, to which Adla listened idly, muttering _mmhmm_ and _aha_, but clearly not paying attention to his concerns.

"Are you even listening to me?" Faraji snarled slightly.

"Faraji, I've been trained to do this stuff. Everything you're telling me now, I already knew. We've had to sit and listen to a list of all the possible risks, throughout every darned lesson we had, right, girls?" Adla said, addressing her pride-mates.

They nodded in unison, muttering to themselves as they began reciting the _Rules of Hunting_ by heart, in a mocking, droning voice, "Rule number one: don't lower your guard. Rule number two: Keep your tail low. Rule number three: stay downwind..."

Chiku and Damisi were the first ones to break into laughter, after they began mixing up the rules on purpose, "Rule number four: avoid the prey's throat at all costs. Rule number five: don't release the killing bite to hooves until the animal stops breathing..."

The rest of the Pride began laughing as they heard the two lionesses messing around with the hunting rules, much to Faraji's discontent. He had realized that Adla's words had too much weight with the lionesses, and they were always more willing to listen to her than to him.

"Just let us do our job, okay? Let us pamper you with a nice big meal for once," Adla said, giving him a quick pat on the shoulder.

Faraji was about to reply, when Adla turned around and started gathering the huntresses.

"Okay, Gasira, you'll stay behind with Safi in cub-duty, right? Perfect. The rest of you, come with me..."

Chiku glanced at Faraji for a second. He didn't look defeated, on the contrary, there was a determined look on his face as he paced to and fro for a short moment, keeping an eye on the retreating lionesses.

Chiku turned around and quickly caught up with Damisi, not noticing that Faraji began following them as they headed towards the hunting grounds.

"Wow, Buffalo, huh? It's the first time we ever go for one. I'm kinda nervous..." Damisi told her.

"Don't worry, we'll do just fine," Chiku said, full of confidence, feeling that this day would be a good one, "Mom told me so in a dream."

The two friends smiled at each other, and walked away together into the sunrise.

**THE END**

* * *

**_Author's Note:_  
**

So this was it, Chiku's tale! I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I loved writing it.

If you're wondering whether this is a bit too much of an open ending, I suggest you go on to read the first chapter of "Njano's Secret", and things might make more sense then... ;)

And yes, you will read more about little Zende and Afia in upcoming tales, I promise I won't forget about them!

Thanks again to everyone who reviewed, to everyone who's expressed interest in my characters and asked me questions, to all of you who sent me comments via DeviantArt, and who made awesome Gift Art for my characters... I can't stress enough how happy it makes me feel that I've been able to touch so many people through my writing.

I've added more character sheets which can be found on nichers . deviantart . com, make sure to check my favorites' section too to see the great GiftArt and commissions based on my Tales!

I'm still hesitating which lioness I'll focus on for my next tale, but the top options are Zira or Ndani. Zira's tale might be more OC-oriented, while Ndani's Tale will be also featuring Sarabi, Sarafina, Scar and Mufasa. What would you guys prefer this time? Please let me know in a comment and help me make up my mind! ;D

Signing off for now. Until the next Lioness Tale,

Niche Eenhoorn


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